A number of PFI members were earlier associated with banned organisations like the Students Islamic Movement of India and the Indian Mujahideen, National Investigation Agency (NIA) sources claim
A special NIA court in Lucknow has convicted five members of the banned organization SIMI to commit terrorist acts and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment in the 2014 Bijnor blast case
In a January 31 notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that SIMI 'has been indulging in activities, which are prejudicial to the security of the country'