Crackdown on PFI: Raids On in 6 States, House of '2006 Mumbai Train Blasts' Accused Also Searched

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting searches across six states in cases against the banned organisation, Popular Front of India (PFI). Raids have been underway in Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh since 5am on Wednesday.

In Uttar Pradesh, searches were conducted in Lucknow, Barabanki, Bahraich, Sitapur and Hardoi. According to reports, three houses in the same locality in Lucknow were raided by NIA teams and paramilitary forces.

In Mumbai’s Vikhroli area, the investigating agency raided the house of Abdul Wahid Shaikh, accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blast. The trial court, however, had acquitted him of all charges.

The agency reached his residence at 5am, but according to India Today, Sheikh refused to let the team in and asked for legal notice. NIA along with local police started conducting raids at Old Delhi’s Ballimaran.

In addition to this, NIA teams conducted searches in Tonk, Kota and Gangapur in Rajasthan late at night with many suspects taken into custody, stated a report by India TV.

The Enforcement Directorate had raided residences of former PFI employees in four Kerala districts — Thrissur, Ernakulam, Malappuram and Wayanad — earlier in September.

The NIA also raided the Malappuram home of many PFI agents in August. The raids were carried out at the properties of members of the outlawed PFI, including Thayyil Hamza in Vengara, Kalathiparambil Yahuti in Tirur, Haneefa in Tanur, and Rangattur Padikkaparambil Jaffer.

The raids came up months after the NIA filed charges against 19 individuals, 12 of whom were members of the banned organization’s National Executive Council (NEC).

Due to its alleged security risks and ties with terrorism, the Union Home Ministry banned PFI and eight of its partners, last year in September for five years. The National Development Front (NDF) of Kerala and the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) had merged to form the PFI in 2006.