The Enforcement Directorate told a special PMLA court in Lucknow that investigations revealed that Rs 120 crore, primarily cash, had been deposited over the years into PFI and related entities, and these organizations had been collecting funds for unlawful purposes. Muhammed Shafeeque Payeth, a leader of the Popular Front of India, was arrested in Kerala.
According to the ED’s remand application, the accused had even intended to form a terrorist group to cause disruption during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Patna on July 12.
An investigation officer stated in the remand application that the ED had been investigating PFI and related individuals and entities under the PMLA in accordance with cases registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other law enforcement agencies.
“Payeth was arrested from his flat in Kozhikode at 5.35 a.m. on September 22. It has been determined that the predicate agencies are involved in unlawful activities committed by PFI and its affiliated individuals/organisations to engage in a criminal conspiracy to disturb communal harmony, spread terror, incite communal riots, train their cadre in the use of explosives and weapons, form a terrorist gang, collect deadly weapons and explosive devices, and simultaneously launch attacks on a variety of important individuals and sensitive locations, according to the IO.
They have so far discovered that more than Rs 120 crore has been deposited in the accounts of PFI and related entities over trying to the years, with a very large portion of that amount being deposited in cash. Accohe IOe, investigations have further established that the PFI engaged in a criminal conspiracy to raise and collect funds through unknown and suspicious sources within and outside of the country.
Rauf revealed that Payeth was a PFI member in Qatar, and he transferred funds to Rauf and his associates. A Delhi-based journalist and four associates of Rauf were arrested by the UP police for attempting to disrupt communal harmony in Hathras,” the IO said.
Police agencies conducted searches across the country Thursday, spearheaded by the NIA, and arrested over 100 workers of the PFI, including its chairman O M A Salam, for allegedly supporting terror activities. According to officials, the NIA, Enforcement Directorate, and state police forces conducted the searches almost simultaneously in 15 states.
Karamana Ashraf Moulavi, national in charge of the PFI’s education wing, and others were ordered into custody by a special NIA court in Kerala. According to the NIA, the PFI, its office bearers, members, and affiliates in Kerala have conspired to engage in unlawful activities by encouraging vulnerable youths to join terrorist organizations including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), As part of violent jihad, ISIS/Daesh and Al-Qaida conspired and committed terrorist acts to establish Islamic rule in India.
A case investigation is underway by the NIA’s Kochi branch. Moreover, the PFI creates hatred against the state and its machinery by wrongful interpretations of government policies. A search warrant was obtained and searches were conducted at PFI’s offices and residential premises. According to the application, various articles/documents, including a list of community leaders, were found during raids.
