NIA Raids Multiple Locations Across UP, Bihar And Other States In Fresh Crackdown Against PFI

The NIA is carrying out searches at around 17 locations across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab among other states in a fresh crackdown against PFI.

Crackdown On PFI: NIA raid multiple locations across several states. ( Image Source :PTI )

In a fresh crackdown against the cadres of the banned organisation Popular Front of India (PFI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is carrying out searches at around 17 locations across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab among other states. As per ANI, the investigating agency is raiding two locations in Uttar Pradesh, 12 in Bihar and one each in Punjab's Ludhiana and Goa.

The places being searched by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) include 12 in Bihar, two in Uttar Pradesh and one each in Punjab's Ludhiana and Goa. https://t.co/TU0oPYc8ab

— ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2023

This comes after Assam Police on April 8 arrested three leaders of the banned organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) and Campus Front of India (CFI) in Assam's Barpeta district. Police also recovered cash of Rs 1.50 lakh, four mobile phones, and a pamphlet of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in their possession.

The arrested PFI and CFI leaders were identified as Jakir Hussain, he is also the State Secretary of PFI, Abu Sama, and CFI National Treasurer Sahidul Islam, Hiren Nath, Additional director general of police (ADGP) (SB), Assam police informed, as per news agency ANI.

Last month, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act Tribunal (UAPA Tribunal), presided by Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma of the Delhi High Court, upheld the Union government's decision to impose a five-year ban on PFI and its affiliate organisations, news agency IANS reported.

The Union government had, last year in October, notified the appointment of judge Sharma as the presiding officer of the UAPA Tribunal to review the ban. On September 28, 2022, the Centre declared the PFI as unlawful under Section 3 of the UAPA and imposed a ban on it for five years for allegedly indulging in "unlawful activities" which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country.