Kerala-based PFI may face action for alleged terror links

Kerala-based Popular Front of India (PFI) may face action, including a ban under an anti- terror law, for its alleged links with subversive activities, a charge denied by the outfit.

A government official said that action against PFI is likely after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) submitted a report on the group to the Union home ministry claiming that it has been involved in terror acts, including running terror camps and making bombs, and it was a fit case to be banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

However, a home ministry spokesperson remained non- committal over the possible action against the PFI saying the ministry would not like to comment on an individual organisation before taking any action.

"Until criminality of any organisation is proved on the basis of available evidence, we cannot make any comment on any organisation," the spokesperson said.

The cases which the NIA cited for PFI's alleged involvement in terror acts are: chopping of a professor's palm in Kerala's Idukki district and organising a training camp in Kannur from where the NIA allegedly seized swords, country- made bombs and ingredients for making IEDs.

It also mentioned the murder of RSS leader Rudresh in Bengaluru and the alleged plans to carry out terror attacks in South India by involving another outfit, Islamic State Al- Hindi.

The government official said that the PFI's alleged involvement in terror activities in South India has been documented and action against the outfit may include banning it under the UAPA.

The NIA has prepared the report on the PFI after conducting a detailed probe.

Earlier, PFI's national executive council member P Koya had strongly refuted the NIA claims, saying the agency had never approached the outfit to know about its activities, if there has been any investigation at all.

"The activities of the PFI were not anti-national but more nationalistic. We have never run any terror camps nor involved in any terror act. There is no reason to call us a terror group unless you want to label us a terrorist organisation," he told PTI earlier.

Koya said there have been just 10 cases against PFI in its 25 years of existence and it was "normal" for any organisation.

He claimed that at least 100 people were killed in the clashes between the RSS and CPI(M) in Kerala in recent times yet the two groups were never called as anti-national.

The PFI reportedly has presence in 23 states and the strongest in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. PTI ACB RT