The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday (December 29) morning raided 56 locations linked to leaders of the Popular Front of India (PFI) across Kerala.
The raids were carried out with the help of the state police.
Reports said, the NIA conducted simultaneous raids in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Palakkad, Malappuram, Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta, and Alappuzha districts on the premises of leaders of the banned outfit who were earlier active in the party.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) raids underway at 56 locations in Kerala in the Popular Front of India (PFI) case. Visuals from Ernakulam. https://t.co/6IQEZkI2Kf pic.twitter.com/re5qi37qoL
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2022
Reports quoting senior department officials said that the raids were conducted after the agency received tip off that these leaders were planning to reorganize the party under another identity.
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Many of these leaders were allegedly involved in terrorist activities and murders in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka during the past few years.
The PFI, which was banned by the Union government in September 2022, was founded in 2006 in Kerala. Three years later, it formed a political organization called the Social Democratic Party of India.
Secret meetings and Al Qaeda connection
The NIA has been following the movements of many PFI leaders after the ban and obtained information about secret meetings conducted by them at several places in Kerala.
Recently, the NIA submitted a report before a court in Kerala alleging that some of the PFI functionaries were in active touch with the Al Qaeda terrorist group. In this connection, the agency is gathering details of the bank accounts of some of these leaders to examine the movement of funds.
Also read: PFI has organised structure in Gulf countries for mobilising funds: ED
A source also claimed that some of the members of the banned group were running a secret wing.
According to reports, none of the PFI leaders was present at the centres during the raids.