The Supreme Court on Thursday said that our nation is quite strong and when time comes, people themselves will answer and there is no need to demonise it every time.
A bench of Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh made the remarks as the Enforcement Directorate opposed bail plea of alleged Popular Front of India member Abdul Razak Peediyakkal, in a money laundering case, on the ground of national security.
The court asked if the petitioner is not a flight risk and if there are bail conditions which do not allow him to leave the country, why keep him inside the jail.
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In September, 2022, the government banned PFI for five years.
Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said there are protected witnesses and if he is out, they may turn hostile and some witnesses, associated with PFI, could feel threatened.
“We have found out, in a case where a passport was taken, people have got away through the Nepal route and it is very difficult to monitor and they have so many secret places," Raju said.
The bench, however, said all other co-accused in the matter are on bail and there was nothing directly linking him to the organisation.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for representing Peediyakkal, sought bail, contending his client would report to whichever authority twice in a week.
Raju, for his part, said this case involved question of national security.
On this, Justice Bopanna said, “Nation, I do not think that is that weak. Our nation is quite strong; I don't think people can destroy it in any case. When the time comes, people themselves will answer. That way, I do not think the nation is that weak."
Raju said during the tribunal proceedings to ban PFI, there was data putting out very scary scenario.
“They have paramilitary personnel in their organization conducting parades, threatening people. This is a very, very dangerous organisation,” he said.
The bench, however, asked Raju to find out how many protected witnesses are involved in the matter and the progress of trial as it put the bail plea for hearing on Monday