The Central Government has appointed Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma of the Delhi High Court as the Presiding Officer of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal in the matter of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates.

The Presiding officer has been appointed to review the ban on PFI and its alliances, after the Centre recently banned it for five years, after seizing incriminating documents during the search operations at the offices of the outfit and the residences of its office bearers.

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A notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice in this regards stated, “Chief Justice of Delhi High Court has nominated Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, Judge to be appointed 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 including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIC) National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring these organizations as an Unlawful association.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) made the announcement through a recently issued notification declaring “the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect”.

Along with PFI, the ban was also imposed on its fronts including 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 as an “unlawful association”.

As per the inputs received by both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as well as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), “the PFI has been raising and collecting substantial funds from abroad in a well organized and structured manner”.

It also came to the knowledge of the Central agencies that the “PFI was raising funds abroad and their transfer to India through clandestine and illegal channels”.