Delhi High Court Grants Custody Parole to Ex-PFI Chairman Amidst Family Tragedy

The Delhi High Court has granted OMA Salam, ex-chairman of the banned Popular Front of India, a three-day custody parole to visit Kerala after his daughter's passing. Amidst objections from the National Investigation Agency, the court ruled that Salam covers his travel expenses and adheres to supervised release terms.

The Delhi High Court on Monday granted a three-day custody parole to OMA Salam, the former chairman of the now-prohibited Popular Front of India (PFI), allowing him to visit his hometown in Kerala. This decision came in the wake of his daughter's tragic death, a medical student. Justice Ravinder Dudeja presided over the case and approved the parole, which allows Salam six hours of supervised release per day.

Despite opposition from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which argued that Salam's involvement with PFI could potentially strain state resources, the court decided in his favor. Salam is required to pay for his travel and the expenses of accompanying security personnel. His counsel assured the court that during parole, Salam would stay home and refrain from any external communications, limiting his interactions to family members.

Salam was formerly arrested in 2022 amid an expansive crackdown on PFI. Authorities have accused the group of seeking funds for terrorist activities and operating ideological training camps. Before the government banned PFI and its affiliates for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in September 2022, alleging links to terrorism, coordinated raids were conducted across 11 states, resulting in numerous arrests including Salam's.

(With inputs from agencies.)