Offices attached, funds seized, travel restrictions: The effect of the ban on PFI

The government took the decision to ban the outfit for five years after it was found that it was indulging in alleged terror funding.

New Delhi, Sep 28: The Popular Front of India is now a terrorist organisation considering it has been banned under Section 3 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

The ban would cripple the outfit's funding, recruitment and it can be booked under terror charges in any part of the country. Further the outfit will not be able to organise conferences, donation drives or come up with any publication.

Further the outfit's bank accounts, offices and properties will be attached and its office bearers will have travel-restrictions.

The government took the decision to ban the outfit for five years after it was found that it was indulging in alleged terror funding.

PFI's associate organisations Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala have also been banned.

A Government of India notification read that the PFI and its affiliates have been declared unlawful association with immediate effect under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

PFI and its associates or affiliates have been indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country. They have the potential to disturb public peace and communal harmony of the country, the notification also read.

"In exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the Central Government hereby declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associated or affiliates or fronts including 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, Kerala, as an 'unlawful association'," the notification read.

"And Whereas, the Central Government, having regard to the above circumstances, is of the firm opinion that it is necessary to declare the PFI and its associated or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect, and accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to sub-section (3) of section 2 of the said Act, the Central Government hereby directs that this notification shall, subject to any order that may be made under section 4 of the said Act, have effect for a period of five years from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette," the government notification also said.

"There had been a number of instances of international linkages of PFI with Global Terrorist Groups and some activists of the PFI have joined Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and participated in terror activities in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan," it also read.

"Investigations in various cases have revealed that the PFI and its cadres have been repeatedly engaging in violent and subversive acts. Criminal violent acts carried out by PFI include chopping off limb of a college professor, cold blooded killings of persons associated with organisations espousing other faiths, obtaining explosives to target prominent people and places and destruction of public property," the notification also read.