What is PFI: The Union Home Ministry on September 28 banned the PFI saying the central government is of the opinion that the Islamist outfit and its affiliates have been involved in subversive activities, thereby disturbing public order and undermining constitutional set up of the country and encouraging and enforcing a terror-based regressive regime.
The move comes after back-to-back raids across the length and breadth of the country, a multi-agency operation spearheaded by the NIA on September 22 led to the arrest of over 200 PFI activists from across 11 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. The maximum number of arrests were made in Kerala (22) followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka (20 each), Tamil Nadu (10), Assam (9), Uttar Pradesh (8), Andhra Pradesh (5), Madhya Pradesh (4), Puducherry and Delhi (3 each) and Rajasthan (2). Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting wherein the ongoing searches at premises linked to the Popular Front of India and action against terror suspects, were believed to have been discussed, officials said.
What is PFI
Popular Front of India (PFI) was established in the year 2006 in Kerala after merging National Development Front (NDF) from Kerala, Forum for Dignity from Karnataka and MNP from Tamil Nadu. There have been several reports that suggest PFI has been involved in terror funding, money laundering and radicalisation of Muslim youth in the country. It is also alleged that when terror organisation SIMI was banned in India, its members joined PFI. From the very beginning, the PFI has been accused of inciting communal riots and creating an atmosphere of hatred. According to an affidavit submitted by the state government to the Kerala High Court in 2014, PFI activists were responsible for 27 political murders and 106 communal incidents in Kerala.
Cases of terror funding
In May 2022, ED filed a ‘prosection case’ against two PFI extremists Abdul Razak Peediyakkal alias Abdul Razak BP and Asharaf Khadir alias Ashraf MK in a money laundering case of Rs 22 crore. According to the charge sheet, these leaders of the PFI established a business in Munnar, Kerala, to launder money acquired abroad and support the organization’s “radical activities.” It is also claimed that these leaders were involved in the formation of a purported “terror group” by the PFI.
The two are also related, according to the ED, to the payment of Rs 3.5 lakh (from August 2018 to January 2021) to PFI member Anshad Badharudeen, who was nabbed by the Uttar Pradesh Police Anti-Terrorism Squad last year, along with PFI member Firoz Khan. The authorities discovered homemade explosive devices, a 32-bore pistol, and seven live rounds in their possession.
Police personnel during a raid of National Investigation Agency (NIA) at the residence of a functionary of Popular Front of India (PFI), in Madurai
How 'Operation Mid Night' was carried
- The raids started at 1 am.
- At least 200 NIA personnel were involved in the raids - including 4 IG, 1 ADG, 16 SP.
- There were a large deployment of state police and CAPF
- 6 control Rooms were set up for monitoring
- Command Control Centre was set up at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
- All dossiers of over 200 suspects were given to the concern team.
- More than 200 mobiles, 100 laptops, and incriminating material which includes documents, vision documents, enrollment forms, and bank details were seized.
- Recce of all suspects was conducted for over a week and set up spotter on respective places.
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