In an order involving the country, the Bombay high court has denied bail to three alleged members of the banned organisation Popular Front of India (PFI).They had been booked for allegedly conspiring to “overawe the government by use of criminal force” and transform India into an Islamic country by 2047.
A division bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Shyam C Chandak rejected the appeals filed by the three accused.
The court, in its order, said the rejected the bail pleas of Razi Ahmed Khan, Unais Umar Khaiyyam Patel and Kayyum Abdul Shaikh, while observing there was prima facie evidence against them.
The above three persons are accused of being members of PFI, banned by the Centre in 2022. They accused in conspiracy acts against the Government of India.
“The First Information Report is in itself clear. They conspired to transform India into an Islamic country by 2047. They are not only propagators but actively intending to implement the Vision-2047 document of their organisation (PFI),” news agency PTI quoted the bench as saying.
The accused also incited like-minded persons to join them to overawe the government by use of criminal force, it observed.
“There is overwhelming evidence to demonstrate that the appellants in connivance with other accused persons have systematically undertaken activities which are detrimental to the interest and integrity of the nation,” the high court said.
Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had lodged a case against the suspected PFI members under the Indian Penal Code sections for criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between religious groups and provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the PTI report said.
