New Delhi: In his recorded statement before the magistrate, one of the NIA's protected key witnesses, who was once a member of the core team of the Popular Front of India (PFI), claimed that all arrested members of the banned outfit were taught that in the event of a disturbance from Pakistan, the Indian Army would be busy in the North and that with PFI's training, they could capture South India and move towards the North, the probe agency said in its chargesheet filed in a Delhi court.

According to the chargesheet filed against 19 senior PFI officials in connection with a criminal conspiracy aimed at destabilising and dismembering the country, PFI was putting together a “highly motivated, trained and secretive elite force to achieve its violent long-term objective of establishment of Islamic rule in India by 2047” under the guise of a socio-political movement.

The NIA, which searched 39 PFI-related sites and arrested scores of PFI office-bearers last year, charged 19 people as accused, including 12 PFI national executive council (NEC) members, founding members, and senior officials, The Indian Express reported.

The investigating officer (IO) stated in their chargesheet that a thorough assessment of protected witnesses proved that the PFI formulated plans to achieve their long-term goal of creating an Islamic Caliphate by destroying the democratically elected government through armed revolt.

“One of the protected witnesses said that in Tharbiyath sessions held by the accused, it was mentioned that in case of any disturbance from Pakistan, the Indian Army would be busy in the North, and with PFI’s training they could capture the South and move towards the North. This indicates PFI’s intention of waging war against India and to overthrow the democratically established government,” as per the chargesheet.

“PFI was secretly recruiting men and organising arms training across the country to raise an ‘army’ willing and ready to wage war against the central government,” said the chargesheet.

One of the primary components of their intended approach was to target senior leaders of organisations that oppose PFI's philosophy, especially Hindu organisations. They profiled them and [intended to] murder them using their assassination squads/service teams to create a communal schism amongst the groups.