<p>The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested five hawala operatives from Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka and Kasargod in Kerala in the Phulwari Sharif PFI case.</p>.<p>The arrested are Mahammad Sinan from Panepmanglore in Dakshina Kannada, Sarfraz Nawaz from Sajipamuda in Dakshina Kannada, Iqbal from Panepmanglore in Dakshina Kannada, Abdul Rafeek M from Puttur taluk in Dakshina Kannada and Abid K M from Kunjuthur in Kasargod.</p>.<p>While tracing and tracking the funds being transferred by the PFI across the country, especially in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar etc, the NIA investigations into the Phulwari Sharif PFI case of Bihar have led to the unearthing of a large network of hawala operatives in South India.</p>.<p>A PFI funding by hawala module, operating out of Bihar and Karnataka, with roots in the UAE has been busted with the arrests of five PFI operatives from Kasargod and Dakshina Kannada, stated a release.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-districts/nia-raids-under-way-in-karnatakas-bantwal-1197633.html" target="_blank">NIA raids under way in Karnataka's Bantwal</a></strong></p>.<p>The NIA said that PFI cadres in Phulwari Sharif and Motihari had vowed to continue PFI activities in a clandestine manner in Bihar and had also arranged a firearm and ammunition recently to eliminate a youth of a particular community in Bihar’s East Champaran district. Three operatives of the module were arrested on February 5.</p>.<p>The five arrested on Tuesday have been found to be actively involved in PFI’s criminal conspiracy to move and channelise illicit funds procured from outside India for distribution among PFI leaders and cadres. </p>.<p>In fact, the NIA had arrested seven persons in July last year for training to carry out acts of terror and violence. NIA teams have been carrying out extensive searches in Kasargod (Kerala) and Dakshina Kannada since March 5. Searches were conducted at eight locations leading to the seizure of multiple digital devices and incriminating documents containing details of transactions running into several crore rupees.</p>.<p>Pursuing the investigation leads since July 2022, the NIA team found that despite the ban on PFI imposed on September 27, the PFI and its leaders/cadres continued to propagate the ideology of violent extremism and were also arranging arms and ammunition to commit crimes. ‘Following the money’, NIA investigators reached Sarfraz Nawaz and Mahammad Sinan, who had been found making deposits in the bank accounts of accused and suspects in the PFI case.</p>.<p>During the pursuit of the money trail and connecting the dots, the NIA managed to unravel the international conspiracy and linkages to the funds while investigating Iqbal and other associates who had collected illegally-generated funds from Dubai and Abu Dhabi and handed them over to Mahammad Sinan, Sarfraz Nawaz, Abdul Rafeek M and Abid K M in India. Investigations revealed that Sarfaraz, Sinan and Rafeek deposited the money in different bank accounts of the accused and the suspects. The five arrested will be produced in NIA Special Court in Patna shortly.</p>
<p>The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested five hawala operatives from Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka and Kasargod in Kerala in the Phulwari Sharif PFI case.</p>.<p>The arrested are Mahammad Sinan from Panepmanglore in Dakshina Kannada, Sarfraz Nawaz from Sajipamuda in Dakshina Kannada, Iqbal from Panepmanglore in Dakshina Kannada, Abdul Rafeek M from Puttur taluk in Dakshina Kannada and Abid K M from Kunjuthur in Kasargod.</p>.<p>While tracing and tracking the funds being transferred by the PFI across the country, especially in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar etc, the NIA investigations into the Phulwari Sharif PFI case of Bihar have led to the unearthing of a large network of hawala operatives in South India.</p>.<p>A PFI funding by hawala module, operating out of Bihar and Karnataka, with roots in the UAE has been busted with the arrests of five PFI operatives from Kasargod and Dakshina Kannada, stated a release.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-districts/nia-raids-under-way-in-karnatakas-bantwal-1197633.html" target="_blank">NIA raids under way in Karnataka's Bantwal</a></strong></p>.<p>The NIA said that PFI cadres in Phulwari Sharif and Motihari had vowed to continue PFI activities in a clandestine manner in Bihar and had also arranged a firearm and ammunition recently to eliminate a youth of a particular community in Bihar’s East Champaran district. Three operatives of the module were arrested on February 5.</p>.<p>The five arrested on Tuesday have been found to be actively involved in PFI’s criminal conspiracy to move and channelise illicit funds procured from outside India for distribution among PFI leaders and cadres. </p>.<p>In fact, the NIA had arrested seven persons in July last year for training to carry out acts of terror and violence. NIA teams have been carrying out extensive searches in Kasargod (Kerala) and Dakshina Kannada since March 5. Searches were conducted at eight locations leading to the seizure of multiple digital devices and incriminating documents containing details of transactions running into several crore rupees.</p>.<p>Pursuing the investigation leads since July 2022, the NIA team found that despite the ban on PFI imposed on September 27, the PFI and its leaders/cadres continued to propagate the ideology of violent extremism and were also arranging arms and ammunition to commit crimes. ‘Following the money’, NIA investigators reached Sarfraz Nawaz and Mahammad Sinan, who had been found making deposits in the bank accounts of accused and suspects in the PFI case.</p>.<p>During the pursuit of the money trail and connecting the dots, the NIA managed to unravel the international conspiracy and linkages to the funds while investigating Iqbal and other associates who had collected illegally-generated funds from Dubai and Abu Dhabi and handed them over to Mahammad Sinan, Sarfraz Nawaz, Abdul Rafeek M and Abid K M in India. Investigations revealed that Sarfaraz, Sinan and Rafeek deposited the money in different bank accounts of the accused and the suspects. The five arrested will be produced in NIA Special Court in Patna shortly.</p>
