PFI’s hit-squad trainer is a martial arts expert cum Kerala High Court advocate

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New
Delhi,
Dec
31:
The
National
Investigation
Agency
has
arrested
a
martial
arts
artists
who
is
also
a
practicing
Kerala
High
Court
advocate
in
connection
with
the
Popular
Front
of
India
(PFI)
conspiracy
case.

The
accused
who
was
also
a
hit
squad
trainer
has
been
identified
as
Mohammed
A
I
and
is
a
resident
of
Ernakulam
district
in
Kerala.
His
arrest
took
place
following
the
raids
that
the
NIA
undertook
earlier
this
week
at
56
different
places
in
Kerala.

In
a
statement
the
NIA
said
that
this
arrest
was
made
subsequent
to
the
searches
conducted
at
56
locations
in
Kerala
including
the
residence
of
Mohammed
Mubarak
A.
I.,
who
is
a
PFI
Martial
Arts
and
Hit
Squad
Trainer/member.
He’s
a
practicing
Advocate
in
the
Hon’ble
Kerala
High
Court.
An
assortment
of
arms,
concealed
in
badminton
racket
bag;
were
recovered
from
his
house
during
the
searches
yesterday,
including
an
axe,
swords
and
sickles.
Investigations
have
confirmed
that
the
PFI
was
raising,
training
and
maintaining
Hit
Squads
in
different
States
and
districts
to
target
leaders
and
members
of
other
communities.

3
PFI
leaders
go
missing
before
NIA
raid
in
Kerala:
Did
local
police
leak
information?

The
NIA
had
on
Thursday
conducted
searches
in
56
locations
in
Kerala.
The
raids
were
in
connection
with
arresting
the
second
rung
of
leaders
and
also
to
hunt
for
those
hit-squad
members
who
were
involved
in
the
killing
of
scores
of
Hindu
leaders
in
the
country.
The
raids
were
conducted
at
the
homes
seven
state
executive
committee
members,
seven
zonal
heads
and
15
physical
training
instructors
trainers.

The
NIA
said
that
the
PFI
has
been
justifying
the
use
of
criminal
force
in
attaining
its
goals.
While
banning
the
PFI,
the
Union
Home
Ministry
said
that
the
outfit
was
involved
in
acts
of
terror
and
had
been
recruiting
for
outfits
such
as
the
Islamic
State
and
Al-Qaeda.
The
ban
was
imposed
for
a
period
of
five
years
on
the
PFI
and
its
many
affiliates.