The National Investigation Agency has unearthed a “larger conspiracy” involving “anti-national” activities of the fundamentalist outfit, Popular Front of India (PFI), in the case related to the savage attack on Kerala professor T.J. Joseph in 2010. The Centre had handed over the case to the NIA on March 9 this year.
On July 4, 2010, at Muvattupuzha in the Kottayam district of Kerala, Joseph, a professor of Malayalam at Newman College, Thodupuzha, had his hand chopped off at the wrist on allegation of blasphemy by alleged Muslim radicals belonging to the PFI.
Government sources said that the NIA, empowered to investigate “terror related” cases and others involving “anti-national” activities, has been handed over the case since it points to a larger conspiracy and “violence being directed against a particular community.” Intelligence sources pointed out that the PFI, which began as a grouping of former SIMI activists, has emerged as one of the most potent extremist organisations in Kerala.
“Based on the evidence our agencies have gathered so far against the PFI and its anti-national activities, and the brutal attack on the professor, the case has been handed over to the NIA,” a government official said. The outfit has a sizeable cadre-strength and its personnel are put through intense physical and ideological training.
The home ministry has significantly been concerned about the activities and funding received by the outfit and Central agencies have been asked to keep a watch on it. The government is also mulling putting a ban on the outfit as and when it gathers sufficient evidence against it.
Intelligence reports suggest that PFI has links with terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Al Qaeda and Taliban, sources said.