"All PFI members and public are informed that the Popular Front of India (PFI) has been dissolved. MHA has issued a notification banning PFI. As law-abiding citizens of our great country, the organization accepts the decision," Abdul Sattar said.
Right after Abdul Sattar announced on Facebook that the PFI has been disbanded, the senior leader of the banned Islamic outfit was nabbed from Karunagappally in Kollam. Abdul Sattar reportedly has a considerable influence in Kerala.
Abdul Sattar, who was allegedly absconding after calling for a state-wide hartal on 23 September against nationwide raids on the outfit's offices and arrests of its leaders, is expected to be handed over to the NIA during the day.
During the 23 September hartal (protest), PFI activists had allegedly engaged in widespread violence resulting in damage to buses, public property and even attacks on the general public.
Following the violence, multi-agency teams, spearheaded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), carried out raids at 93 locations in 15 states across the country and arrested over 100 PFI leaders for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.
Kerala, where the PFI has some strong pockets, had accounted for the maximum number of 22 arrests. The arrests were made by the NIA, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and police forces of the states concerned.
The Central government on Wednesday banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) for five years for its alleged links with global terror groups and terror funding. The PFI, which has now been banned from functioning for the next five years, had been under the radar of the government for several years. after authorities detained scores of its members on Tuesday and earlier in the month, accusing them of violence and “anti-national" activities.
