Following the proscription of Popular Front of India (PFI) and its eight affiliates across the country, the police began implementing the ban by conducting search, seizure and closure of PFI offices across the State on Thursday. Its offices in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya, Belagavi and several other districts were searched and sealed on Thursday. The police seized books of accounts, computers, hard discs and other electronic materials, books, pamphlets and other printed material, among others, published by PFI, which will be part of the probe now.
Home Minister Araga Jnanendra met with senior police officials, including DG&IGP Praveen Sood, and Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajaneesh Goel on Thursday and ordered implementation of the ban in the State.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has delegated the responsibility of implementing the ban to State governments. The Chief Secretary has, in turn, passed on the instructions to Deputy Commissioners and Commissioners of Police in the State. These officials have submitted a report of all premises in their jurisdictions used by PFI and its eight affiliates, to the Home Secretary who on Thursday began notifying these premises under the UAPA, 1967, leading to their sealing down and closure by the police.
Meanwhile, the Cybercrime police in the State have been taking down social media accounts, including Twitter, Facebook and several other platform accounts of PFI, Campus Front of India and seven other affiliates banned in the country.
Sources said they were also looking at ways and means to shut down official groups in the name of these proscribed organisations on instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. The police were also identifying bank accounts handled by PFI across the State and are writing to banks to freeze these accounts with immediate effect.
A decision on whether all office-bearers of PFI, CFI, and other proscribed organisations should be arrested or not was yet to be taken, the sources said. However, police sources said that more arrests were likely.
