ED raids houses of PFI leaders in Kerala

KOZHIKODE: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the premises of Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Ernakulam and Trivandrum on Thursday, as part of a country-wide swoop aimed at unearthing money laundering activities.

ED officials reached the houses of Popular Front chairman OMA Salam at Manjeri, PFI national secretary Nasarudheen Elamaram at Vazhakkad in Malappuram district, former state president Karamana Ashraf Moulavi at Poonthura in Trivandrum, national vice chairman EM Abdul Rahiman and national executive commitee member P Koya in the morning.

Though ED sources declined to divulge details, the raids were planned to check whether the oufit violated regulations regarding donations received from foreign sources.

Laptops, pen drives, books and some other documents were seized by the ED officials from the houses.

The PFI state commitee office in Meenchanda near here was also raided.

Though there is no official information about the intention of the raids, it is believed that the searches are part of the investigation into the alleged links the PFI had to the anti-caa protests in Delhi and violent incidents ater the death of a Dalit girl in Hathras in UP.

According to media reports, ED sleuths carried out simultaneous searches at over 26 locations across the country on Thursday. Searches were conducted in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Utar Pradesh and Bihar.

In Delhi, the searches took place in south east Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh and Jamia area.

The action is being carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The searches were conducted ater a complaint was given to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister alleging that the PFI was funding “undesirable” activities in the country.

The central probe agency is investigating PFI’S links on charges of allegedly fuelling antiCitizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests in the country and other such campaigns. ED started an investigation against the PFI alleging that there were dubious deposits in the accounts of the organisation and the money was withdrawn during the time of anti-caa protests.

The PFI was formed in 2006 in Kerala as a successor to the National Democratic Front (NDF).

PFI denied any wrongdoing in maters related to the party’s funding activities.

PFI maintained that the raids were a political ploy to divert atention from farmers’ stir.

Nasarudheen Elamaram said that the raids were part of a political tactic to divert atention from the ongoing farmers’ stir.