This morning, the NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted joint raids at PFI offices, and homes of PFI members across ten states of the country. this is the largest raid being carried out across the country against the Popular Front of India.
NEW DELHI – The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken into custody Popular Front of India (PFI) national executive committee member A.S. Ismail during a raid at his residence in Coimbatore on Thursday.
The action against Ismail was part of the ongoing raid being carried out in 11 states across the country since early morning, said sources.
It is learned that the Chairman of the Popular Front of India, OMA Salam, and its National General Secretary, Elamaram Kareem have been taken into custody in Kozhikode, North Kerala during raid conducted by the NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED).
It is to be noted that this is the largest raid being carried out across the country against the Popular Front of India.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also detained 105 activists of the front, and arrested its Delhi chief Pravez Ahmed.
Sources have claimed that more than 100 leaders of the PFI have been detained by both the agencies.
“20 persons were held in Karnataka, 10 persons were held in Tamil Nadu, three in Puducherry, two in Rajasthan, five were held from Andhra Pradesh, nine were held from Assam, 20 from Maharashtra, four from Madhya Pradesh, eight from Uttar Pradesh, three from Delhi and 22 from Kerala,” said an NIA source.
The PFI workers were also staging protests against the raids. As of now no official comment has been made by any agency.
“There were multiple cases and it was found that they were running karate camps where they were allegedly giving terror training. They were allegedly running Ghazwa-e-Hind. We have learnt that PFI used to receive donations and other foregin funds, which were later used in suspicious activities,” claimed a source.
The people, who used to withdraw cash in small amounts, have been detained. The agencies knew that they could face hurdles and hence the whole operation was kept secret as per the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The local police were assisting the agencies in the raid.
The ED is investigating the money laundering case whereas the NIA is questioning the PFI leaders in connection with the terror related case.
Hyderabad office sealed, searches on in Telangana
Meanwhile, the Popular Front of India (PFI) office Hyderabad was seized and sealed on Thursday morning by National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The development comes as part of the nationwide action against PFI members being conducted by the NIA and ED.
Descending upon the PFI office in Chandrayanagutta locality of Hyderabad, NIA personnel conducted searches of the premises. Computer hard disks, pen drives, and documents were reportedly seized during the operations. The office was later sealed by the NIA officials.
Apart from Chandrayanagutta, the NIA is conducting raids in other parts of the city such as LB Nagar and Autonagar. Raids were conducted in Karimnagar city also.
Apart from making inquiries about past members of PFI, the NIA is also on the lookout for PFI members who are on the run.
This morning, the NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted joint raids at PFI offices, and homes of PFI members across ten states of the country.
The operations by the NIA in Telangana come barely a few days after it had conducted search operations in the state. — IANS