New Delhi: Investigating agencies have claimed that bomb-making manuals were among “incriminating materials” seized from members of the Popular Front of India (PFI), which was banned this morning citing “terror links”. The Islamic organisation, which said it made people aware of their rights, faced raids by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) across India over the past two weeks, resulting in over 300 arrests, NDTV reported.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday banned PFI for its alleged links to terror funding.
In addition to this, PFI’s associate organisations – Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala – were also banned, according to India Today.
The demand to ban the outfit was made by several states. The decision was taken based on the report of the investigating agencies.
On September 22 and September 27, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and state police conducted raids on the PFI.
In the first round of raids, 106 people belonging to PFI were arrested. In the second round of raids, 247 people belonging to PFI were arrested/detained. Investigating agencies got enough evidence against the outfit, based on which the decision to ban the outfit was taken.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra stated in a tweet that “Banning PFI is a decisive step against Islamic Jihad.”
Reacting to the development, BJP’s national spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, stated on Twitter, “Strong & timely action by Central Government, MHA that has banned the #PFI for a period of five years. But we have seen in the past how Congress, SP, RJD, Left, etc have given political patronage to terror in name of votebank.”
On September 22, the NIA and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches against the PFI at 93 locations in 15 states – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar and Manipur. At least 106 PFI members and their alleged associates were arrested in the first round of raids.
The NIA, along with other probe agencies, carried out raids on PFI members under Operation Octopusfor allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. On Tuesday, the second round of raids was conducted in Delhi, Karnataka, Assam, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Telangana.
