Banned Group PFI's Largest Arms, Physical Training Centres Attached By Probe Agency NIA In Kerala

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached one of the oldest and largest arms and physical training centres of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in Kerala, an official said on Monday.

This is the sixth PFI arms training centre and the 18th property of the outfit to be attached in Kerala as ‘proceeds of terrorism' under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a spokesperson of the federal agency said in New Delhi.

The NIA, on March 17, filed a charge sheet against 59 accused, including the PFI as an organisation, in a case registered last year.

"As part of its continuing investigations in the case, NIA has now attached this training centre spread over 10 hectares.

"The Green Valley Academy, Manjeri, Kerala is managed by ‘Green Valley Foundation' (GVF) and was used by the cadres of National Development Front and subsequently by the PFI into which it merged," the spokesperson said.

The agency said the PFI had been using the property for imparting arms training, physical training, and training on the use and testing of explosives to its cadres, identified as part of their ‘Service Wing'.

"The facility was also used to harbour several ‘PFI Service Wing' members after they committed crimes, including murders. The centre was further being used to impart radical and rabid type of ideological training in PFI's divisive and communal agenda and policies to its trained operatives, cadres and members," the spokesperson said.

The agency said offices of PFI and its frontal organisations were functioning from these premises under the guise of educational institutions.

The five other PFI training centres attached previously by NIA in Kerala were Malabar House, Periyar Valley, Valluvanad House, Karunya Charitable Trust and Trivandrum Education and Service Trust (TEST).

Another 12 PFI offices, used by the outfit's leadership intermittently to organise training in arms and physical training, ideological propagation, and training for the commission of various crimes, including murders and terrorist acts, have also been attached.

"NIA investigations have revealed that the PFI has been running many such training centres in the guise of charitable and educational trusts formed by the organisation's members or leaders.

"Investigations have also revealed that the PFI had hired several buildings for running their training camps and activities relating to terror and violence," the spokesperson said.

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