Kerala PFI Conspiracy Case: Key Accused Arrested After Return from UAE

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Moideenkutty P , an alleged operative of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) , at Cochin International Airport after his arrival from the United Arab Emirates , ending a three-year period of absconding. The accused, a native of Kattipparuthi in Kerala’s Malappuram district , had been on the run since a conspiracy case was registered in September 2022 over alleged radicalisation activities and efforts to foment communal discord.

According to investigators, Moideenkutty served as the coordinator of physical education training for the PFI in Kerala and fled soon after the case was filed. Searches conducted at his residence during the probe reportedly yielded incriminating documents , while the investigation pointed to a structured effort to radicalise impressionable youth and create divisions between communities.

The NIA alleges that selected recruits were trained in weapons handling, physical combat, and mobilisation , while funds were raised to support acts of violence. Authorities claim these activities formed part of a broader conspiracy to promote the ideology of “violent jihad” and pursue an extremist agenda aimed at reshaping India’s constitutional order by 2047.

Investigators further stated that the PFI allegedly developed specialised organisational wings including media/reporting units, physical and arms training wings, and service teams to advance its objectives. Training sessions were reportedly conducted at organisational facilities under the guise of physical education, yoga, and community programmes , masking militant preparation.

The arrest forms part of a wider nationwide crackdown following the Government of India’s September 2022 ban on the PFI under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) , citing alleged links to extremist networks, terror funding, radicalisation, and involvement in violent incidents. Since then, central agencies have conducted extensive raids and investigations across multiple states to dismantle recruitment and indoctrination networks.

The NIA has so far chargesheeted 65 accused in the case, reflecting the scale of the alleged conspiracy. Security agencies view such networks as a long-term internal security challenge, with ongoing operations focused on preventing radicalisation, disrupting extremist infrastructure, and curbing transnational links that enable suspects to evade law enforcement.

Moideenkutty’s arrest is seen as a significant development in efforts to neutralise extremist recruitment pipelines and reinforce enforcement against banned organisations operating through covert structures.