Uttar Pradesh STF searches premises of PFI, CFI in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UPSTF) searched two offices of Popular Front of India (PFI) and Campus Front of India (CFI) at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh area on Sunday.
A Delhi Police team accompanied the UPSTF officials when the search was conducted.
ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar said that the seizures made during the searches at the offices of PFI and CFI would be sent for forensic examination.
The searches were done on the basis of information received from the Rauf Sherif, who is in five-day custody remand of the UPSTF.
Sherif is general secretary of CFI, a student wing of PFI and is accused of playing a key role in attempt to disturb communal harmony in Hathras after alleged gang rape of a dalit girl which led to her death in September 2020, said ADG Kumar.
Sherif was detained by the authorities at Trivandrum airport in December after a look out circular in December last year.
“The searches are being done in accordance with the rules and a search warrant was also issued by the court. A case was registered at Maant police station of Mathura district last year in October against four members of the PFI under the charges of sedition, promoting enmity between groups Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. They were involved in a conspiracy of disrupting the peaceful atmosphere in Hathras,” added the ADG.
Sources in the STF said that large documents, including files, CDs and pamphlets have been recovered which would be checked by forensic experts. They also claimed that the house of a member of PFI was also searched but he was elusive. STF officials, however, did not confirm this.
Last week, the UP STF had also arrested two members of PFI along with highly explosive devices. Police claimed that they were planning to trigger bomb blasts in different parts of the state.
UP STF had also said that the accused PFI members had hatched a plan to execute bombings on 'Popular Front Day' which is the anniversary celebrations of the party.
On February 11, Lucknow unit of Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also filed a chargesheet against five PFI men, including Sherif and Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, for getting finances from abroad to help their alleged bid to disturb communal harmony in Hathras.