Attachment of PFI leaders’ assets begins to recoup hartal damages

Proceedings have begun all over the State to attach the immovable properties of the Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders to compensate for the losses that occurred during the flash strike called by the recently banned organisation. The procedures will be concluded by 5 pm on Saturday. The Land Revenue Commissioner issued the order to Collectors yesterday noon to attach the properties within the time-frame.

The proceedings began immediately under the leadership of Revenue Deputy Collectors. The process was expedited as a report on the matter is to be submitted to the High Court on January 23. The action was taken after obtaining information about the leaders from the Home department.

The properties of the Popular Front’s State and district leaders have been attached. The house and property of the PFI’s State general secretary, Abdul Sattar, who has been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), at Punnakulam in Adinad village, is among the assets attached. Sattar’s wife, children and parents were in the house at the time.

The properties of four persons were attached in Thiruvananthapuram district. Three properties each were attached in Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts while six properties each were attached in Ernakulam and Idukki districts. In Aluva, the Revenue officials measured and prepared reports on properties, including the district committee office of the Popular Front.

The process to attach 18 properties has been completed in Thrissur district. The properties of Popular Front State committee member Yahiya Thangal of Atheenayil house and Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) State general secretary P K Usman of Panjikkaranjalil are among these.

An inspection was conducted prior to the attachment of the three-storey building at Elanad in which the branches of Canara Bank and Kerala State Financial Enterprises are functioning. The notice of attachment will be affixed on the building today.

In Palakkad district, the action is being taken against 16 persons, including C A Rauf, who was the State secretary. Bava, the accused in the murder of the RSS leader Sanjith, is among those who are facing the action.

In Malappuram, the process has begun to attach over 100 properties held in the name of over 60 persons, including O M A Salam, former chairman of the PFI. There was a protest in Tirurangadi, charging that the properties of those who were not linked to the organisation were also included in the attachment process.

The details of houses and properties of 23 PFI workers were collected in Kozhikode district. The process to begin attachment of 14 properties in Wayanad, 7 in Kannur and 5 in Kasaragod has begun. The building that functioned as the district committee office of te PFI is among this.

There were no proceedings in Alappuzha district yesterday over the PFI hartal issue as it was a local holiday in two taluks, including the district headquarters, in connection with the Arthunkal festival.

Losses Rs 5.20 crore

The flash hartal by the Popular Front was conducted on September 23, 2022, in protest against the arrest of its leaders by the NIA.

The High Court took a suo motu case for calling for the hartal without giving prior notice, destroying buses including those of the KSRTC, and causing a loss of Rs 5.20 crore. Though the High Court had ordered that the Popular Front must deposit the amount as damages, the organisation did not do so. Following this, the court asked the government to attach the properties. But the process got delayed. The Additional Chief Secretary for Home, V Venu, had to appear in court and apologise.

Although Venu assured the court that the attachment proceedings would be completed before January 15 that too was not done. The court issued a warning, ordering that the report on the action taken should be submitted on January 23. The government woke up following this. The case will be considered again on January 24.

Residents not to be evicted

Revenue department officials said that even though the houses of the leaders and workers of the PFI were attached, the residents of the houses would not be evicted. In cases where humanitarian consideration is warranted, further action would be taken based on the decision of the court.