NIA arrests absconding PFI accused at Kochi airport after four years

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a man accused in an alleged arms training case linked to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), ending a nearly four-year manhunt.

The accused, identified as Moitheenkutty, a resident of Valanchery in Kerala’s Malappuram district, was detained at Cochin International Airport in Nedumbassery near Kochi. Officials said he had been absconding since 2022 and was among the key accused in a case relating to alleged arms training camps organised for PFI members.

According to agency sources, Moitheenkutty was intercepted while allegedly attempting to leave the country. The NIA had earlier announced a reward of Rs 7 lakh for information leading to his arrest, highlighting the significance investigators attached to his role in the case.

A specialised team had been tracking his movements based on intelligence inputs gathered from different states, officials said. Security agencies credited sustained surveillance and inter-state coordination for locating and apprehending the accused.

The arrest is being seen as a major development in the wider probe launched following the Centre’s ban on the PFI in 2022 over allegations of extremist activities.

After being taken into custody, the accused was produced before the jurisdictional court and remanded. The NIA is expected to seek custodial interrogation to probe the alleged training network, coordination among the accused and possible financial or logistical backing.

The agency has been investigating multiple cases across several states involving alleged radicalisation, recruitment and arms training.

In late January, the NIA conducted coordinated raids in various districts of Kerala as part of a separate inquiry into suspected attempts to revive the banned organisation and channel funds for unlawful activities. Those searches targeted premises linked to former PFI functionaries and members of its political wing, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

Investigations in the present case are continuing, with officials indicating that further disclosures may follow.

With IANS inputs