100 arrested in country-wide raids on locations linked to PFI
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a joint operation with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and police carried out raids at the premises linked to the Popular Front of India (PFI) across 10 states and arrested over 100 of its leaders early on Thursday. The PFI has termed it an attempt "to silence dissenting voices." Notably, the organization has been accused of promoting terrorism.
Why does this story matter?
The PFI is reportedly an extremist Islamic organization. There have been demands to ban it in the country. The NIA on Sunday raided 40 locations in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the case, and booked four PFI functionaries under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Earlier this month, it raided 30 locations in Bihar to investigate the alleged terror module associated with the PFI.
50 locations in Kerala raided
Called as the "largest ever" crackdown by government sources, the raids were carried out in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The residence of PFI chairman OMA Salam in Malappuram district of Kerala was raided, following which PFI workers staged a protest at the site. Among the 100 locations reportedly being raided, 50 are in Kerala.
The raids were met with protests from PFI workers
PFI chairman, secretary, state president in custody
The PFI's chairman, secretary and Kerala chapter president among others were taken into custody. The office of PFI's Pathanamthitta district secretary Mundu Kottakkal Sadiq and one in Adoor Parakkod were also searched. The investigators seized a pen-drive from the house of PFI leader Karamana Ashraf Moulavi in Poonthura. This isn't the first instance where residences of Moulavi and Salam have been raided.
Fascist regime silencing dissent: PFI
The PFI issued a statement saying that the homes of the national, state, and local leaders were being raided along with the state committee office. Protesting the raids, it termed the government fascist and said it was using state agencies to suppress dissent.
What is the case against PFI?
The case against PFI members was lodged in Nizamabad police station in July this year under various sections of the IPC and Section 13(1)(b) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The case accused at least 27 people of carrying out "anti-national activities" in a house, following which Telangana police arrested Abdul Kadar, Sheikh Sahadulla, Md Imran, and Md Abdul Mobin.
NIA re-registered July case in August
Subsequently, the NIA re-registered the case on August 28. It said in a release that, under the guise of karate training, the accused organized camps to train individuals to commit terrorist acts and fuel communal divide. Kadar confessed that in lieu of Rs. 6 lakh, he built a room on his terrace and allowed PFI cadres to use it for imparting training.
Conspiracy to wage war against the GoI: FIR
During a raid at the house mentioned in the FIR, officials seized a flex banner bearing the name of PFI, bamboo sticks, a whiteboard, nunchucks, a podium, notebooks, handbooks, and other material. The FIR says, "This amounts to a conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India." It says the accused was working to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.
