In the terror funding case, a joint team of National Investigation Agency(NIA), Enforcement Directorate(ED) and state police forces have raided Popular Front of India(PFI) locations in more than 10 states. Although more than 100 members of PFI have been arrested in the raids. These include many prominent leaders of PFI. These searches are being carried out in homes and offices of the individuals involved in organizing training camps, radicalizing people to join banned organisations and funding terrorism.
News agency ANI reported “In a major crackdown in 10 states across the country, NIA, ED and state police have arrested more than 100 cadres of PFI,”. According to the information, PFI’s Delhi chief Parvez Ahmed has also been arrested. According to sources, raids have taken place in Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, Bihar and many other states.
Activists of PFI and SDPI protested at many places in protest against this action of the investigating agency. Supporters of PFI and SDPI protested against the action of NIA in Mangalore, Karnataka. Also, more than 50 PFI workers are protesting against the action of NIA in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.
The NIA had this month raided 40 places earlier in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana in connection with a PFI case, in which four people were detained. The probe agency then raided 38 locations in Telangana (23 in Nizamabad, four in Hyderabad, seven in Jagityal, two in Nirmal, one each in Adilabad and Karimnagar districts) and two places in Andhra Pradesh(one each in Nellore and Kurnool) was searched. During that time, incriminating items including documents, digital devices, Rs 8,31,500 in cash and two knives were seized during the search operation. The NIA said that all the accused were conducting training camps to encourage terrorist activities.
PFI was established in 2006 in Kerala. After the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, the PFI was born out of the merger of three Muslim organizations – National Development Front of Kerala,Manitha Neeti Pasari of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Forum for Dignity. After the demolition of the Babri Masjid, several organizations had emerged in South India, some of which merged to form the PFI. PFI describes itself as a neo-social movement committed to accredit people from minority communities, Dalits and other weaker