Arms Training In PE Classes, Promoting Religious Enmity - How PFI Prepared Cadres For Terrorist Activities

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached 19 immovable properties valued at Rs 35.43 crore beneficially owned and controlled by Popular Front of India (PFI) in the name of various trusts, companies and individuals, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The agency attached these properties on October 16. Earlier, it had also attached 16 immovable properties valued at Rs 21.13 crore on April 16. A total of 35 immovable properties valued at Rs 56.56 in the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Ors case have been attached by the agency so far.ED revealed that PFI was giving arms training under the garb of Physical Education (PE) classes for imparting offensive and defensive manoeuvres using different variations of blows, punches, kicks, knife and stick attacks."These classes were carried out on the properties registered under dummy owners’ names. Interestingly, PFI does not have a single property registered in its own name. One such case of conducting arms training under the garb of PE classes was the Narath Arms Camp case in 2013, wherein PFI was imparting training to its cadres in the use of explosives and weapons in an arms camp at Narath, in Kannur District. The intention was to promote enmity between different religions and prepare the cadres for terrorist activities," ED said.

More Than 13000 Active MembersThe investigation has revealed that PFI had more than 13,000 active members in Singapore and Gulf countries including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. PFI has formed well-defined District Executive Committees (DECs) for the Non-Resident Muslim diaspora living in the Gulf Countries, which were tasked with the collection of funds. Each DEC was given a target of several crores of rupees for funds collection. The funds which were raised abroad were transferred to India through circuitous banking channels, as well as through underground hawala channels so that their origins could not be traced and thereafter handed over to PFI and its office bearers to finance their terrorist and unlawful activities."Some of the methods of protest used by them as found during investigation are explained as under: Steps for preparation for a Civil War by creating unrest and strife in the society that includes Non-violent air raids, Guerrilla Theater, Alternative Communication Systems etc. Methods of cruelty and subjugation include Haunting Officials, Taunting Officials, Fraternization, Mock Funerals, Interdict, Lysistratic Non-Action (Lysistratic non-action is to withhold sex from someone in order to achieve something) etc. Methods employed for undermining unity and sovereignty of the nation which include Civil Disobedience of Laws, Dual sovereignty, parallel Government, disclosing identities of secret agents," ED said.PFI was banned by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on 28 September 2022 for a period of five years. It was founded in 2006 with the merger of the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) and the National Development Front (NDF).