ED arrests 5 more key functionaries of PFI, sends them to 6 days remand

New Delhi [India], December 22 : The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Friday arrested five more key functionaries of the banned organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) and produced them in court, stating that all these five people were involved in the generation of proceeds of crime for terror activities.
ED had recently arrested six PFI functionaries under sections of the Money Laundering Act. These accused were earlier arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and lodged in judicial custody.
According to the ED, the accused are (1) AS Ismail one of the founding members of Popular Front of India (PFI), (2) Md Shakif State President PFI Karnataka, key signatory, (3) Anis Ahmed, National Secretary PFI till 2020, (4) Afsar Paasha, National Secretary PFI when it was declared unlawful, (5) EM Abdul Rahiman - Remained National Vice President and also associated with Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
All the accused were produced before the court on Friday and ED initially sought 10 days custodial remand of them saying they were directly involved and were knowingly a party to the various processes and activities connected with the proceeds of crime and thus committed the offence of money laundering as defined under Section 3 of PMLA, 2002.
The Special Judge Chaderjit Singh noted the submissions and agreed to send the freshly arrested five accused to six days of custodial remand.
While seeking remand Advocate Naveen Kumar Matta and Manish Jain appeared for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and submitted that the investigation revealed that cash deposits and bank transfers are not genuine transactions and have been affected by PFI in order to project the unaccounted cash raised through unknown and suspicious sources as untainted and legitimate and from the various incriminating documents seized during search operations at the offices of PFI and residences of its office bearers on December 3, 2020.
The ED's lawyer further revealed that PFI has thousands of active members in Gulf countries and that PFI has been raising and collecting substantial funds from abroad in a well-organized and structured manner.
Hence, it is evident that funds collected by PFI abroad are remitted through hawala or underground channels and through remittances sent to the accounts of members or activists or office bearers of the PFI or CFI and other related organizations and funds received from overseas are concealed from the Government authorities and statutory compliance not done by PFI and its related organizations.
Advocates Mohd Faizan and Ishaan Baisla also appeared for the ED in the matter.
Recently, the Popular Front of India had moved the Delhi High Court challenging an order of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) Tribunal upheld the decision of Centre Government decision to ban Popular Front of India and its affiliates.
Earlier in March month Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma passed the Judgement in this regard. After passing the Judgement the Tribunal forward it to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
The Tribunal had dismissed the allegations levelled by the PFI organisation that one particular community is being targeted by the government. The associated lawyer in the case stated that the Tribunal while passing the Judgement noted that the members of PFI and its affiliates are indulging in secessionist activities that were contrary to the social fabric of the country.
To justify the ban on the terror outfit, the Central government had examined and presented 100 witnesses and had also shown two videos justifying the activities of the organisation and its members, said the associated lawyers in the case.
In September last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs had declared Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates as 'Unlawful Association'.
The press statement issued in this regard stated that the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been found to be involved in serious offences, including terrorism and its financing, targeted gruesome killings, disregarding the constitutional set-up of the country, disturbing public order which are prejudicial to the integrity, security and sovereignty of the country.
Therefore, the Ministry of Home Affairs found it necessary to curb the nefarious activities of the organization and has hence declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) along with its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an "unlawful association" under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.