Member Of Banned Group Popular Front Arrested In Maharashtra

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) today arrested a member of the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) for alleged involvement in anti-national activities, the ATS officials said.

The police have arrested him in connection with an FIR by Nashik ATS.

The arrested person has been identified as Maulana Irfan Daulat Nadvi. Seven accused have been arrested so far in this regard.

Notably, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earlier in September had made the announcement through a recently issued notification declaring "the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect".

Notably, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earlier in September imposed a ban on the radical outfit and its affiliates for five years for having "terror links". Along with PFI, the ban has been imposed on Rehab India Foundation, Campus Front of India, All India Imams Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organization, National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation, and Rehab Foundation as an "unlawful association".

As per the inputs received by both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as well as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), "the PFI has been raising and collecting substantial funds from abroad in a well-organized and structured manner".

It also came to the knowledge of the Central agencies that the "PFI was raising funds abroad and their transfer to India through clandestine and illegal channels".

The PFI was launched in Kerala in 2006 after merging three Muslim organizations.

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