At last Kerala Government appears to be in the mood to act in connection with the confiscation of assets belonging to the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI) and leaders and operators of the terrorist outfit as compensation worth Rs 5.20 crores for damages and public property destruction caused by the violent ‘flash hartal’ held (by PFI) on September 23, 2022.
Land Revenue Commissioner, Kerala Government, on January 20, issued instructions to District Collectors to go ahead with the ‘confiscation operations’ immediately. The order says, ‘there is no need of any notice for the confiscation’. Operations are to be completed by 5 pm, January 21.
Now, the Kerala Government’s actions have been kicked off. Authorities have confiscated the land and house, of PFI state general secretary Abdul Sathar, in Puthiyakavu (Karunagappalli), Kollam district. Action is in the wake of the ultimatum issued by Kerala High Court’s Division Bench, consisting of Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Mohammed Nias CP, on January 19, to the Kerala Government to confiscate the assets before January 23, 2023. Not only that, Kerala Government has to submit before the Court the district-wise details of the confiscated assets with the names of the leaders and the value of the assets, respectively. The Court said there is no need to issue any notice before confiscation.
On January 19, the Court expressed absolute dissatisfaction with the failure of Kerala Government within the time frame they (Kerala Government) had set before the Court on December 23, 2022, to act. The Court said there is no need to issue any notice before confiscation.
Meanwhile, there are reports that according to the Central Investigation Bureau (IB), Kerala Police’s Intelligence failure led to the growth of underground activities of PFI in the state. NIA has found that PFI’s clandestine meetings are going on in Kerala and Rajasthan despite the ban imposed on it, thanks to the soft attitude of the State Governments to the banned organisation.
It is to be remembered that Additional Secretary of Home Department Dr V Venu personally appeared before the Court on December 23, 2022, and tendered an unconditional apology for failing to execute the Court order to recover from the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI) for damages, worth Rs 5.20 crores, caused to the public properties in connection with the ‘flash hartal’. During the hearing, Division Bench underlined the change in the attitude of the Executive towards the Judiciary. The Judiciary should not be treated as a department of the government.
