Early Thursday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) targeted Popular Front of India (PFI) offices and leaders across Kerala in a sweeping pre-dawn raid bolstered by armed State police security.
A tense situation appeared to evolve in Kerala, with scores of PFI activities turning out in strength to protest the raids. The police have upped their street presence to pre-empt any violence.
The activists raised slogans against the Central government and squatted on the road in front of PFI offices and homes of leaders where the raids were on.
Officials said the inspections were part of a wide-ranging NIA and ED investigation into PFI activities across the country, including training, muster rolls and funding.
They said similar inspections were underway in other States, and the agency has detained several PFI leaders for questioning.
ED involvement
The inspection teams also reportedly comprised Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials. The NIA website was silent on the ongoing inspections.
In Kerala, the NIA investigation focused on PFI leaders and offices in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kozhikode, Kannur, Palakkad, Karunagapally, Mancheri and Thrissur. By some accounts, the NIA has detained several PFI leaders for questioning.
PFI leaders detained
The detained reportedly included PFI national general secretary Nassarudeen Elamaram, Kerala State general secretary A. Abdul Sattar, former PFI national council member Karamana Ashraf Moulavi, former PFI chairperson E. Aboobacker, PFI State committee member, Yahiya Thangal and PFI district secretary, Pathanamthitta, Sadiq Ahmed, among others. However, it was unclear whether the agency had effected any arrests.
The agency also inspected the home of PFI chairperson O.M.A. Salam at Manjeri in the Malappuram district. The whereabouts of Mr. Salam remained unknown for now.
PFI slams inspections
In a Facebook post, Mr. Sattar termed the inspections as State-sponsored terrorism. He said NIA teams barged into the offices and homes of PFI leaders early Thursday without prior notice or valid legal reason.
Mr. Sattar posted that the NIA was also inside the PFI's State committee office in Thiruvananthapuram. He urged PFI workers to strongly protest the raids orchestrated by the "fascist regime" to stifle dissent.
The raids appeared pre-planned and backed by warrants issued by the NIA special court in Kochi. The NIA had identified PFI houses and offices in advance and reportedly sought State police support at the last minute to maintain the element of surprise.
Last week, the NIA targeted PFI offices and office bearers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
What is PFI?
The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) had repeatedly termed the PFI an Islamist outfit and blamed the organisation for several political murders in Kerala.
The PFI entered Kerala's political scene around 2006 and soon spread to other states. It later shifted its national headquarters from Kozhikode to New Delhi. The PFI portrays itself as a national movement for the human rights and emancipation of minorities, backward class and Dalit and tribal sections of society.
It came under a cloud in 2015 after persons suspected to be PFI activists chopped off the palm of college teacher T. J. Joseph, in Kochi, for allegedly framing a question paper that blasphemed against Islam.
The CPI(M) had linked the organisation to the murder of SFI leader Abhimanyu, a student of Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, in 2018.
The same year, the LDF government had submitted a damning affidavit in the Kerala High Court, blaming the PFI for several political murders and divisive activities. The PFI has repeatedly denied the accusations.
The PFI has also expanded its influence on campuses by forming the Campus Front. It backs several personal development centres and has inserted itself into major socio-political debates in the country. It also runs several charitable organisations that provide education to children hailing from marginalised sections of society.
