Bombay High Court Grants Default Bail to PFI Suspects

The Bombay High Court provided default bail to two individuals accused of being members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad. The court granted the bail as the prosecution failed to submit the chargesheet within the stipulated timeframe.

The Bombay High Court on Monday granted default bail to two persons arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on charges of being members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

Momin Moiuddin Gulam Hasan alias Moin Mistri, and Asif Aminul Hussain Khan Adhikari had sought default bail as the prosecution had failed to file its chargesheet within the stipulated time period.

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Gauri V Godse approved the plea and granted the duo bail.

Hasan and Adhikari, along with three others - Mazhar Mansoor Khan, Shaikh Sadik Isak Qureshi and Mohammed Iqbal Mohammed Ibrahim Khan, were arrested on September 22, 2022, for alleged connections to PFI.

The accused faced charges under sections 121A (waging war or attempting or abetting waging of war against the Government of India), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153 A (promoting enmity and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony), and section 13 (1) (b) (advocates, abets, advises or incites the commission of any unlawful activity) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).