PFI ban: Centre appoints Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma as presiding officer of UAPA Tribunal

New Delhi, Oct 06: The Central government has appointed Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma as the presiding officer of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal in the matter of Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma is from Delhi High Court. He will be the presiding officer of the Tribunal against PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts.

"Centre appoints Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma of Delhi High Court as the Presiding Officer of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal in the matter of Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts," ANI reported on Thursday.

The unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal is constituted by the Central government to confirm a ban on political organisations based on allegations and evidence.

To recall that the Central government banned the PFI and eight of its affiliates in India for five years.

The decision to ban the PFI and its associates was taken after back-to-back two multi-agency raids, involving NIA, ED and state police, in several states in which around a hundred PFI leaders were arrested.