New Delhi: In largest ever nation-wide raids against Popular Front of India (PFI), the NIA along ED have arrested over 100 activists and its Delhi chief Pravez Ahmed.
The raids were being conducted by the NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in 12 states. PFI's Chairman OMA Salam in Manjeri, Malappuram district has also been searched.
The agency sleuths, along with the ED and state police have carried out searches in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Assam, and Rajasthan.
"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."
PFI's Delhi unit head Parvez Ahmed has been picked up by Enforcement Directorate (ED) following raids at his residence in Shaheen Bagh.
NIA has sealed PFI head office in Chandrayangutta, Telangana.
In Karnataka’s Mangaluru, the NIA team had to face a protest staged by the PFI and SDPI workers, who opposed the searches on the office premises of the organisation. Over 60 PFI protesting workers have been detained.
"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," said 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.