The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday raided the home of prisoner rights activist Abdul Wahid Sheikh in Mumbai as part of an investigation into the banned Popular Front of India, PTI reported.

The agency carried out raids in several states including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi. It is investigating an alleged conspiracy by the Popular Front of India to disrupt Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bihar last year.

The case was initially filed by the Bihar Police and the National Investigation Agency took over the case in July 2022.

On Wednesday, the agency searched the home of Sheikh, who was acquitted in the 2006 Mumbai serial blasts case after having spent several years in prison.

Officials from the National Investigation Agency arrived at the activist’s home in suburban Mumbai’s Vikhroli area around 5 am on Wednesday, according to PTI. In a video that he subsequently posted on WhatsApp, he alleged that the officials neither identified themselves nor gave him any notice.

“They broke one door and either broke my camera or shut it down,” he said in the video. “They are not willing to tell me what the FIR [first information report] is. I have not opened the door for the past three hours. My wife and kids are unwell, and we are trapped in our house.”

Sheikh did not open the door of his home for about six hours and demanded a search warrant, an unidentified official told the news agency. He reportedly opened the door only around 11.15 am after his lawyer and some social activists arrived at the spot.

The Popular Front of India is an Islamic organisation that was banned for five years in September 2022 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in connection with alleged terror activities.

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