Introduction:

The Patna High Court’s recent ruling on the PFI-Phulwari Sharif Terror Module case denied anticipatory bail to six accused individuals linked to the alleged conspiracy to disrupt Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bihar in July 2022. The bench of Justice Vipul M Pancholi and Justice Ramesh Chand Malviya examined the evidence presented by the investigating agency and found a prima facie case against the appellants.

Arguments:

The accused persons sought anticipatory bail based on their contention that they were wrongly implicated as co-conspirators in the case. However, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) presented evidence indicating their involvement in shaping nefarious designs aimed at disturbing communal harmony and public order. The defense argued against the validity of the evidence and emphasized the appellants’ innocence.

Court’s Judgement:

After analyzing the materials before the Court, including recovered documents and extracted data from the accused individuals, the Court concluded that a conspiracy to disrupt the Prime Minister’s visit had been hatched. The Court noted the seriousness of the alleged offenses under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and upheld the Special NIA Judge’s decision to reject the anticipatory bail pleas.