Moideen K. Faizy, national president of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to a money laundering investigation against the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI). At the airport, the central agency confiscated a cell phone from him and recorded his statement.
A diary containing handwritten minutes of meetings of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of PFI dated March 16, 2019, as well as a letter addressed to “Faizy Sahab” that mentions “Procedures of selecting candidates” for state assembly and parliamentary elections, were found. According to the report, Moideen Kutty K, also known as M K Faizy, was taken into custody at the IGI airport on March 3. Since 2018, Faizy has served as the National President of SDPI, a political front for PFI. After being brought before the Patiala House Court, he was placed under six days of imprisonment.
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Faizy was repeatedly called by the ED and given up to 12 chances, but he avoided the probe and failed to show up. Faizy’s non-appearance and the Bailable Warrant (BW) issued against him by an order dated December 17 of last year prompted the ED to file a complaint against him before the relevant court on March 28, 2024. After BW was not executed, a Non-Bailable warrant (NBW) was issued against him by order dated January 17. Despite the best efforts to track him down, the NBW could not be executed either.
Based on FIRs filed by the National Investigation Agency in 2013, the ED claimed that investigations were carried out against PFI and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. A s per the outcomes of the investigation, PFI office bearers, members, and cadres were planning to commit and finance terrorist activities throughout India by raising money from both domestic and foreign sources through banking channels, Hawala, contributions, and other means.
According to an article on IndianExpress.com, the ED has so far attached moveable and immovable properties totaling ~61.72 crore in this case. As of now, the court has received nine prosecution complaints (PCs); 26 PFI members have already been taken into custody in connection with this case.
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The ED claimed that many incriminating documents and digital evidence were found and seized during search operations on December 3, 2020, at various locations owned by PFI and its office bearers. This proves that PFI used to oversee, control, and fund SDPI’s operations; that SDPI is a front for PFI with common members, cadres, and leaders; and that SDPI relied on PFI for daily operations, policymaking, and other related activities.
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A diary containing handwritten minutes of meetings of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of PFI dated March 16, 2019, as well as a letter addressed to “Faizy Sahab” that mentions “Procedures of selecting candidates” for state assembly and parliamentary elections, were found. These documents show that PFI funded SDPI ~3.75 crore for election-related purposes.
The Delhi-based SDPI, which was established in 2009, is said to be the political front of the PFI, which the Union government outlawed in September 2022.
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