New Delhi: In a major action across 12 states, the NIA and ED jointly carried out raids at multiple location across 12 states and arrested over 100 cadres of Popular Front of India (PFI) on Thursday.

The operation started late in the night around 1 am and continued till 5 am

A total of 106 PFI cadres were arrested on Thursday in a joint operation conducted by the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and state police forces across 12 states in the country`s multiple locations, said sources.

The raids were carried out at over 80 places in 12 states including Andhra Pradesh (5), Assam (9), Delhi (3), Karnataka (20), Kerala (22), Madhya Pradesh (4), Maharashtra (20), Puducherry (3), Rajasthan (2), Tamil Nadu (10) and Uttar Pradesh (8). The searches were conducted at multiple locations in the largest ever investigation process till date.

The operation started late in the night around 1 am and continued till 5 am. Over 1,500 personnel of state police, Central Armed Police Forces and officers of NIA and ED were involved in the said massive crack down.

During the raids, several incriminating documents, more than 100 mobile phones, laptops and other materials have been seized by the raiding teams.

These searches were conducted at the residential and official premises of persons involved in “funding terrorism, organising training camps and radicalising people to join proscribed organisations”.”

The Popular Front of India on Thursday, while condemning the raids by the National Investigation Agency and the Enforcement Directorate against its leaders, stated that it will “never surrender” and alleged that the agency`s claims are aimed at “creating an atmosphere of terror”.

Issuing a statement against the said raids, PFI`s National Executive Council (NEC) said, “NEC has condemned the national wide raids by the NIA and ED and the unjust arrests and the harassments of its National and state leaders across India and the witch-hunting against the members, and supporters of the organization.” “NIA`s baseless claims and sensationalism are solely aimed at creating an atmosphere of terror,” it added.

It said that the Front will “never ever surrender” to the action taken by a “totalitarian regime”. “Popular Front will never ever surrender on any scary action by a totalitarian regime using the central agencies as its puppets and will stand firm on its will for recovering the democratic system and spirit of the constitution of our beloved country,” the statement said.