Police shun NIA report, say no PFI allies in force
KOCHI: Kerala Police on Tuesday rubbished reports claiming that National Investigation Agency (NIA) has handed over details of 873 police officials suspected to have links with banned oufit Popular Front of India (PFI) to Director General of Police (DGP).
The state police force took to its official Twiter handle to refute the claim that a report was handed over by the NIA to DGP Anil Kanth exposing the PFI links of the department’s officers.
Police termed reports as baseless and unverified. “The news that NIA handed over a report to the state police chief exposing the links of 873 police personnel with the now-banned PFI is false and unverified.”
According to reports that appeared in the media, at least 873 officers of the Kerala Police have links with the now-banned PFI.
Officials in the sub-inspector( si) and station head Officer (SHO) ranks, and the civil police personnel are under the close watch of the central agencies.
The NIA list includes personnel belonging to the Special Branch, Intelligence, Law and Order wings and those entrusted with the office works of top Kerala Police officers, sources said. The reports further said that central agencies are collecting details of these officers’ financial dealings. The primary charge against them is that they leaked information to PFI, including the moves of the state police, especially regarding raids.
Last February, a Civil Police Officer atached to Karimannoor police station in Thodupuzha in Idukki district was terminated from service for allegedly leaking details of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders to the PFI.
Three police personnel, including an SI, were transferred from Munnar police station on similar charges. In a country-wide crackdown on the PFI in September, multi-agency teams arrested over 100 party leaders and activists in near-simultaneous raids in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.
The central government imposed a ban on the PFI and its associates, namely, Rehab India Foundation (RIF), All India Imams Council (Allc), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), and other organisations and declared them as unlawful associations.