The Popular Front of India (PFI), a banned organisation, is being raided by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a number of states, including Delhi, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. Official sources claim that since early on Wednesday morning, raids have been carried out in a number of Maharashtra locations. An NIA team has arrived at Abdul Wahid Sheikh’s home in the Vikhroli neighborhood of Mumbai. In the 2006 Mumabi train blast case, Sheikh was found not guilty. In connection with the PFI case, the NIA is also conducting raids in various Madurai locations.
In addition to this, the NIA along with the local police started conducting raid at Old Delhi’s Ballimaran which falls under the Hauz Qazi police station area. The NIA reached the area early on Wednesday morning.
Ealier in September, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids in the houses of former PFI workers in four districts of Kerala- Thrissur, Ernakulam, Malappuram and Wayanad.
In August, the NIA had raided the house of several PFI operatives in Malappuram. The raids were conducted at residences of Thayyil Hamza in Vengara, Kalathiparambil Yahuti in Tirur, Haneefa in Tanur and Rangattur Padikkaparambil Jaffer, who were all part of the banned PFI.
The searches came after the NIA in early August had attached the Green Valley Academy in Manjeri, one of the PFI’s largest and oldest arms and physical training centres.