Delhi High Court Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma has been appointed as the Presiding Officer of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal on Thursday in the matter of Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates.

The Central Government has appointed the Presiding officer to review the ban on PFI and its alliances following PFI ban for five years after seizing incriminating documents during search operations at the offices of the outfit and residences of its office bearers.

The Ministry of Law and Justice notification stated, “Chief Justice of Delhi High Court has nominated Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, Judge to be appointed as the Presiding Officer of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal in the matter of Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIC) National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women's Front, Junior Front Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring these organizations as an Unlawful association.”

Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared, “the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect.”

The ban was also imposed on its fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an ‘unlawful association.’

The official Twitter account of Popular Front of India (PFI) was withheld in India by the social media platform "in response to a legal demand", a day after the Centre banned the outfit under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for "terror links".

Notably, more than 100 PFI members were arrested across India in a nationwide raid.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) said. “the PFI has been raising and collecting substantial funds from abroad in a well organized and structured manner. PFI was raising funds abroad and their transfer to India through clandestine and illegal channels.”