PFI case: Special Court takes cognizance on ED chargesheet against Kasim Syed Mohd Ibrahim, two others

New Delhi [India], November 9 : The Special Court of Delhi on Thursday took cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet (prosecution complaint) filed against Kasim Syed Mohd Ibrahim, Secretary of Tamil Nadu Development Foundation Trust (TNDFT) and M Mohammed Ismail, Managing Trustee, in a money laundering case related to the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI).
The Additional Sessions Judge Sachin Gupta on Thursday while taking cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s chargesheet issued summons to Tamil Nadu Foundation Trust and M Mohammed Ismail, Managing Trustee.
The Court also sought the production of Kasim Syed Mohd Ibrahim, Secretary of TNDFT, noted that he is in judicial custody presently. The Court fixed December 21 as the next date of hearing.
The prosecution complaint was filed by ED through Advocates Naveen Kumar Matta and Mohd Faizan in the matter.
According to the ED, the investigation revealed that Tamil Nadu Development Foundation Trust (TNDFT), one of the frontal organisations of PFI which was founded in 1993 by the core committee members of PFI, runs Arivagam, an Islamic Conversion Centre that carries out Da'wah Orientation camps to convert people into Islam for men at Muthudevanpatty Village, Theni District and for female at Eruvadi town at Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli.
Likewise, Puthiya Vidiyal is an Islamic magazine that was a mouthpiece of PFI. Investigations revealed that apart from propagating the agenda of PFI, this magazine was also a vehicle for raising funds for the later in the guise of subscription money and advertisement revenues that were not reflected in the books and were transferred to PFI through underground or Hawala channels, stated ED in court.
Investigation revealed that KSM Ibrahim is the key person both in TNDFT or Arivagam and Puthiya Vidiyal.
During the course of recording statements under section 50 of PMLA, 2002, KSM Ibrahim did not cooperate with the investigating officer, gave vague replies to the questions asked, his behavior remained evasive, adamant and made deliberate attempt to conceal the facts to frustrate the ongoing investigation, said the ED in court earlier.
Accordingly, in the interest of investigation and in view of the role of KSM Ibrahim in the offence of money laundering, the Investigating Officer complied with the provisions of Section 19 of PMLA, 2002 and put him under arrest on August 23 in New Delhi, stated ED.
Recently the Popular Front of India (PFI) has approached the Supreme Court challenging an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal confirming the five-year ban imposed on it by the Centre.
Earlier, the Centre had declared as "unlawful association" the PFI and its associates, 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.