Goa: 32 PFI activists held since ban on outfit, police keeping close watch, CM tells Assembly

Thirty-two alleged members of the Popular Front of India have been arrested in Goa since the Union government imposed a ban on the radical Islamist organisation, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said in the Assembly on Friday.He was responding to a call attention motion moved by Bharatiya Janaty Party MLA Pravin Arlekar on the activities of the PFI in Goa, which the latter said may lead to communal unrest in the coastal state.Even before PFI was banned, Goa police had arrested 18 people in connection with a case of unlawful assembly registered against the outfit at Fatorda police station.

Thirty-two alleged members of the Popular Front of India have been arrested in Goa since the Union government imposed a ban on the radical Islamist organisation, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said in the Assembly on Friday.

He was responding to a call attention motion moved by Bharatiya Janaty Party MLA Pravin Arlekar on the activities of the PFI in Goa, which the latter said may lead to communal unrest in the coastal state.

''Even before PFI was banned, Goa police had arrested 18 people in connection with a case of unlawful assembly registered against the outfit at Fatorda police station. After it was banned by the Centre, a total of 32 PFI members have been arrested in cases registered in Fatorda, Maina-Curtorim, Vasco, Valpoi, Ponda, and Margao,'' the CM said.

''All offices of the outfit have been sealed and various documents have been seized. These have been handed over the respective district magistrates. The police is keeping a keen watch on erstwhile members of the outfit,'' Sawant informed the House.

Based on information provided by the Deputy Director of Income Tax (Investigation), Belagavi in Karnataka as well as by the Inspector, Special Branch, Goa Police, indicating funding of PFI activities in Goa, a case was registered against one Altaf Sayad and his associates, the CM said.

''After the case was registered, search warrants were obtained and office premises and residence of Altaf Sayad were searched,'' he said.

The CM said office premises of the PFI situated in Margao as well as that of Humane Welfare Trust Office, an alleged sympathiser organisation of the PFI, have been searched.

''Our probe has found Altaf Sayad was funding a political group called 'We For Fatorda'. The investigation is still in progress,'' Sawant said.

The Centre had, in September last year, banned the PFI under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for proactive participation in activities primarily prejudicial to maintenance of integrity, sovereignty and security of the country.

Prior to the ban the National Investigation Agency and the Enforcement Directorate had carried out raids nationwide and arrested more than 100 alleged PFI activists.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)