Popular Front State Secretary In Custody For Communal Posters

Popular Front of India state secretary Mohammed Sajid Qureshi, a software engineer, is in custody of the Pune police till August 17 after his arrest for allegedly trying to create communal strife through posters claiming Hindutva hand behind blasts in the country. The police had arrested Qureshi and aide Samsher Pathan on Monday for putting up posters in parts of the city. Police said the movie posters were aimed at creating communal tension ahead of Ganesh festival and Ramzan.

Qureshi works with a prominent software company in Hinjewadi while Pathan runs a tailoring shop in Camp.

The police on Tuesday got the custody of the duo for three days, which ended on Friday. They were produced in Cantonment Court again on Friday and Judicial Magistrate A M Patankar remanded them in custody till August 17.

Police have also booked their aide Rafiq Bagwan of Bhagyoday Nagar, Kondhwa, who is on the run. Qureshi's laptop was seized and 28 posters were recovered from Kondhwa.

PFI national secretary O M A Salam told The Indian Express, "The poster campaign was launched for highlighting that Hindu groups are the real terrorists. We chose the historic date of August 9 for the campaign, the day when Quit India movement began. We want the day to be known as Save India Day."

August 15, 2010