Ban on Popular Front of India imminent after countrywide NIA, ED raids

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ A possible ban stares the Popular Front of India in the face for its alleged involvement in terror activities after law-enforcement agencies Thursday conducted searches against it at 93 locations across 15 states in what officials described as the “largest-ever investigation process till date”. The PFI has been under the radar of security agencies for its role in violent protests in different parts of the country against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, alleged forced conversions, radicalisation of Muslim youths, money laundering and links with banned groups, informed officials said.

The NIA said a large number of criminal cases has been registered in different states over the last few years against the PFI, its leaders and members for their alleged involvement in many violent acts. The officials said criminal and violent acts allegedly carried out by the PFI over a period of time — such as the chopping off the hand of a college professor in Kerala, cold-blooded killings of people linked with organisations espousing other faiths, collection of explosives to target prominent people and places, support to Islamic State and destruction of public property — have had a demonstrative effect of striking terror in the minds of the citizens.

The NIA, according to the officials, has secured 45 convictions as part of the earlier investigations against the PFI and has chargesheeted 355 people in these cases.