ED arrests Kerala PFI member in connection with money laundering case

A Kerala-based Popular Front of India (PFI) member has been arrested in connection with a money-laundering investigation by officials of Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday, April 11. MK Ashraf was arrested in Delhi under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He was produced before a local court in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday that sent him to ED custody till April 19, the officials said.

Meanwhile, PFI has termed the arrest "part of the ongoing witch-hunt against the organisation". "The arrest of MK Ashraf, a Kerala state executive council member of the Popular Front, is part of the ongoing harassment by the agency against the leaders and members of the organisation for the past few years. A false case under the PMLA was intentionally registered against the organisation four years ago. ED has not found anything against the organisation even after years of its investigation, raids and harassment, but arrests are continuing on dubious grounds," a PFI spokesperson said.

The Islamic organisation was formed in 2006 in Kerala and is headquartered in Delhi. The residence of Ashraf in Muvattupuzah (Ernakulam district of Kerala) was raided by the federal agency in December last year, apart from a few other PFI office bearers. The PFI said Ashraf was grilled multiple times by the agency in New Delhi and finally arrested after the latest round of questioning.

It said that the organisation had challenged "the very legality" of the Enforcement Crime Information Report (ECIR is the ED equivalent of a police FIR) filed against the organisation before the Delhi High Court.

The ED, after the December raids, had said in a statement that the seized documents "indicate about the money laundering activities of the PFI through various projects in Kerala, including the Munnar villa vista project which is being built by PFI leaders to launder proceeds of crime generated in India and abroad".

"Acquisition of foreign properties by PFI leaders, including a bar and restaurant in Abu Dhabi, has come to the notice of the ED and is under investigation," it had said.

The agency, last month, had arrested Abdul Razzak BP, a divisional president of the PFI's Perumpadappu unit in Malappuram, from the Kozhikode airport in Kerala, alleging that he was "trying to flee the country".

The ED has been investigating PFI's "financial links" for its alleged role in orchestrating the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in the country, the February 2020 Delhi riots and the "conspiracy" in the Hathras gang rape case and a few other instances. (PTI)