Bail for PFI members accused of "conspiring to transform India into an Islamic nation" was rejected

Emphasizing that the initial evidence was clearly against the accused, the court dismissed the bail applications of Razi Ahmed Khan, Unais Umar Khaiyyam Patel, and Kayyum Abdul Shaikh. On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court refused to grant bail to these three individuals who had been apprehended by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in 2022. They were allegedly associated with the banned terrorist organization Popular Front of India (PFI) and were accused of conspiring to overthrow the government through criminal means. 

In its observations, a division bench comprising Justices Ajey Gadkari and Shyam Chandak remarked that the accused had conspired to convert India into an Islamic nation by the year 2047. The court highlighted the compelling evidence presented in the first information report, which indicated that the accused were not only proponents of this vision but also actively working to implement the Vision 2047 document of the PFI. 

The court further noted that the accused had been actively encouraging like-minded individuals to join their cause in achieving this agenda. The bench stated, "There is substantial evidence showing that the appellants, in collaboration with other accused persons, have systematically engaged in activities that are harmful to the interests and integrity of the nation."