UAPA tribunal upholds Centre’s decision to ban PFI, its affiliates

Senior advocate Puneet Mittal, who appeared for the Centre, said the tribunal noted that the Union government was able to prove on record enough material with regard to the activities.

New Delhi: The Popular Front of India (PFI) and its seven affiliates wanted to establish “caliphate rule” in India by 2047, a tribunal constituted under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) held on Tuesday as it upheld the ban on the organisations.

The ban on PFI was announced days after a crackdown on PFI and its senior leaders and members by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in which over 108 people were arrested. (PTI)

Holding that the evidence produced against the organisations was “credible” and “trustworthy”, the tribunal, headed by Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma of the Delhi high court, agreed with the Centre’s submission that the PFI wanted to turn India into an “Islamic State” and carried out “political murders” of well-placed people in the Hindu community in the country.

Senior advocate Puneet Mittal, who appeared for the Centre, said the tribunal noted that the Union government was able to prove on record enough material with regard to the activities.

“The court noted that the respondents have not been able to produce any material and the material placed by the Union of India is far more sufficient than the defense has claimed,” Mittal said.

In its 285-page report, the tribunal also agreed with the Centre’s submission that even though these organisations have a laudable purpose on paper, they are indulging into illegal activities which are against the integrity and sovereignty of the country, the senior advocate said.

“These are although lawful organizations but they have been indulging into unlawful activities and therefore they are unlawful associations,” he said, citing the operative part of the tribunal’s order.

The home ministry, through a gazette notification on September 27, 2022, imposed a ban on PFI and its affiliates — Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala — declaring it as “unlawful association”.

The ban was announced days after a crackdown on PFI and its senior leaders and members by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in which over 108 people were arrested.

Under the law, detailed order of the tribunal has to be given to the MHA in sealed cover, following which the ministry will release the findings through a Gazette notification.

Over a period of three-four months, the tribunal travelled across various cities, including Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Mumbai, to examine 100 witnesses produced by the MHA from December 19, 2022 to March 3, 2023.