Suspected PFI members conspired to transform India into Islamic country: Bombay HC while denying bail

The Bombay High Court denied bail to people suspected of being members of the banned Popular Front of India

The Bombay High Court has refused to grant bail to three alleged members of the banned Popular Front of India, noting they "conspired to transform India into an Islamic country by 2047" and overawe the government by use of criminal force.

A division bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and Shyam Chandak on June 11 rejected the bail pleas of Razi Ahmed Khan, Unais Umar Khaiyyam Patel and Kayyum Abdul Shaikh, and observed there was prima facie evidence against them.

They are accused of being members of the Popular Front of India (PFI), banned by the Centre in 2022, and indulging in conspiracy acts against the Government of India.

The court in its order said the accused persons conspired to overawe the government by use of criminal force. “The First Information Report is self-eloquent. 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),” the bench noted.

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 HC said.

The bench said the accused persons participated in spreading hatred against the State and pushing anti-national agenda through various means of propaganda. The accused persons shared a document on social media groups titled ‘Vision - 2047’, it noted. "Perusal of Vision-2047 document indicates that it is a sinister plot and design to transform India into an Islamic State by adopting all possible methods mentioned therein," the HC maintained.

It is a conspiracy to commit horrendous acts perpetrated by the appellants pursuant to their conspiracy, amounts to conspiring to overawe or to attempt to wage war against the Government of India, the bench said. The court, while rejecting their bail pleas, maintained there was prima facie evidence against them.