Bengaluru: Police have filed a charge sheet against 17 Pakistani nationals who unlawfully entered India and were residing in Bengaluru under assumed Hindu identities. These individuals claim affiliation with the Mehdi Foundation International (MFI), a London-based group that advocates for divine love but does not align with any specific religion.
The arrested group, residing in the Jigani and Peenya suburbs, was detained between late September and early October. Parvez, an Indian from Uttar Pradesh, was also apprehended for aiding the Pakistanis in crossing into India via Bangladesh and settling here.
Investigators from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) spent six days in Bengaluru in early October, questioning the accused and gathering evidence. Sources close to the investigation revealed that the collected data would help determine whether the individuals were involved in criminal activities in India or if they might engage in illegal actions in the future.
The Jigani police concluded the investigation within a month, filing a 1,200-page charge sheet. The accused face charges under sections of the IPC related to forgery and cheating, as well as violations of the Passports Act. The court is yet to formally charge them, and despite multiple bail applications, their pleas have been denied.
A police officer involved in the case disclosed that none of the detainees wanted to return to Pakistan, fearing persecution there. The police have requested the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to intervene and await their response.
Read Also;