PFI was planning to make an Islamic country to commit hate crimes: Maha ATS chief

Popular Front of India (PFI) was planning to make an Islamic country by 2047 by motivating people to commit hate crimes, Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) chief Vineet Agarwal said on Thursday.

TN National Desk

Updated Sep 29, 2022, 18:21 IST

PFI does not have any right to regroup or protest as it has been dissolved post the ban.

Photo : PTI

Mumbai: Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) chief Vineet Agarwal on Thursday said that Popular Front of India (PFI) was planning to make an Islamic country by 2047 by motivating people to commit hate crimes. He further said that the radical organisation held lectures and told people to keep sharp objects with them.

The radical outfit was banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday after multiple rounds of raids on their offices across the country. Over a hundred PFI members were also arrested as probe agencies launched massive crackdown on the radical outfit.

"We are using tools to recover their data, they had plan to make a Islamic country by 2047 by motivating people to commit hate crimes. Target killing was their modus operandi by identifying the target. We'll further freeze their accounts," Vineet Agarwal said.

PFI tried to incite people

Further, he said that the organisation does not have any right to regroup or protest as it has been dissolved post the ban.

"Raids were conducted before a ban on PFI. Post the ban the organisation has been dissolved. Now, they don't have any right to regroup or protest on any platform except on the legal platform," the Maha ATS chief said.

Agarwal further said that the members of the organisation told people who participated in their lectures to keep items for self-defence, bricks, sharp objects on their terraces.

"They used to portray themselves as persons associated with social development and physical education and gather people; gave lectures to incite them. Also told participants to keep items for self-defence, bricks, sharp objects on their terraces," he added.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Home Department today issued an order under Section 42 of UAPA, authorising the police commissioners and District magistrates to exercise their powers against the now banned organisation.

Other states, including Kerala and Tamil Nadu have also passed orders declaring the PFI as an unlawful association.

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