The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested MK Faizy, national president of SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) – political arm of now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) – in a money laundering probe, people familiar with the development said on Tuesday.
Faizy, officials said, was arrested at Delhi airport on Monday night under prevention of money laundering act (PMLA).
The financial crimes probe agency had on February 28 raided Faizy’s residence in Kerala.
The PFI and its eight affiliate organisations were banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on September 28, 2022, after a nationwide crackdown by ED and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) led to arrests and recovery of purported incriminating documents from offices and residences of the outfit’s office bearers. The Centre alleged the outfit was fueling radicalisation and was involved in terror funding.
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The agency has arrested 26 members including senior office bearers of PFI since 2021 and filed nine charge sheets.
At the time of crackdown in 2022, SDPI’s offices in multiple cities were also raided and party’s activities have been under the scanner of both the agencies.
The NIA, in fact, arrested SDPI Ghouse Nayazi, a member of SDPI, last year in connection with the 2016 murder of RSS leader R Rudresh. SDPI leaders and members have been named by the NIA in 2010 palm chopping incident of professor T J Joseph as well.
In October 2024, ED claimed in a statement that PFI has around 13,000 active members in Singapore and Gulf countries including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE tasked with collection of funds, which is then transferred to India through circuitous banking route and illegal hawala channels.
The agency added that PFI used various methods of “violent” protests like mock funerals, air raids and civil disobedience of laws with a purpose to create an Islamic movement in India.
Some of the methods of protest used by them as found during investigation were explained by ED as – Steps for preparation for a Civil War by creating unrest and strife in the society, which includes Non-violent air raids, Guerrilla Theater, Alternative Communication Systems. It added that PFI also adopted methods of cruelty and subjugation, which included haunting and taunting officials, Fraternisation, Mock Funerals, Interdict, Lysistratic Non-Action (Lysistratic non-action is to withhold sex from someone in order to achieve something), ED added.
Besides, it said methods employed for undermining unity and sovereignty of the nation included Civil Disobedience of Laws, Dual sovereignty, and parallel government, disclosing identities of secret agents etc.
The claims were made by the financial crimes agency as it attached PFI’s assets worth over ₹56 crore.