Kochi: Popular Front of India (PFI) member Muhammed Mubarak, who was taken into custody on Thursday, was arrested by the NIA on Friday.
Mubarak, a native of Edavanakkad, was placed under arrest after 20 hours of interrogation. Mubarak was practising law in the Kerala High Court. His wife is also an advocate.
An NIA team of 10 members had arrived at his residence at 4am on Thursday. The raid continued till 9am.
Four members of the banned outfit PFI were taken into custody by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on Thursday.
The development comes following a state-wide raid that was conducted in the houses of PFI's second-rung leaders.
The four in custody are Mubarak; Zulfi, a PFI worker; Sudhir and his brother Salim, both hailing from Karamana.
The raids, which started early on Thursday, were held in 56 places across Kerala to unveil terror funding and alleged anti-national activities by the outfit, despite the ban.
PFI summoned a meeting at Periyar Valley in Ernakulam among other places, the NIA said.
Meetings were also held in other districts which were PFI strongholds.
The agency conducted raids at eight places in Ernakulam, four places each in Alappuzha and Malappuram, and three places in Thiruvananthapuram.
The raids
Raids were held in Nedumangad, Thonnakkal, Pallichal of Thiruvananthapuram, and Kuttikattor and Nadapuram of Kozhikode district. The inspections were led by DySP RK Pandey in Vithura.
NIA also raided Chinthoor, Vandanam, Veeyapuram, Ochira in Alappuzha, Edavanad in Aluva, and Vypin areas in Ernakulam district.
Officials also arrived at the residences of PFI members in Erattuppetta and Kanjirapally of Kottayam.
Mananthavady, Thazhayangady, Peechangodu, Tharuvana, Kambalakkad, Bathery in Wayanad also witnessed raids.
The house of former PFI state committee member Nissar was also raided. A bag and several phones were seized from here
Mobile phones were also confiscated from the former PFI district president's residence.
A raid was also held at the residence of former national president OMA Salam's brother.
'Several leaders were under the agency's observation for the past months. Further proceedings like arrests will be undertaken only after detailed investigation,' the NIA said.
