'PFI had more than 13,000 members in Singapore and Gulf countries': ED

The banned Popular Front of India (PFI) had more than 13,000 active members in Singapore and Gulf countries including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE who are allegedly tasked with collection of funds, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said.

The investigative agency mentioned on Friday that the PFI has formed well defined District Executive Committees (DECs) for the Non-Resident Muslim diaspora living in the Gulf Countries, which was tasked with collection of funds. Each DEC was given target of several crores of rupees for funds collection.

It also mentioned that 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.

The Central government had banned the PFI under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on September 28, 2022 after several of its leaders were arrested by NIA in a nationwide crackdown.

"Investigation has revealed that the real objectives of PFI are different from the ones stated in its constitution. Real objectives of PFI include formation of an organization for carrying out an Islamic movement in India through Jihad, though PFI masquerade itself as a social movement. PFI claimed use of non-violent forms of protest but evidences reveal that the methods of protest employed by them are violent in nature," ED said in a statement on Friday.

The ED also claimed 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," it said.

"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 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," the ED said in a statement.