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Updated April 14th, 2022 at 10:27 IST

Kerala PFI member arrested in money laundering case; sent to ED custody until April 19

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday arrested a Kerala-based PFI member in connection with a money-laundering investigation, officials said on Wednesday.

Reported by: Gloria Methri
PFI
Image: PTI | Image:self
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The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday arrested a Kerala-based PFI member in connection with a money-laundering investigation, officials said on Wednesday.

MK Ashraf, Kerala State Executive Council Member of Popular Front, was arrested under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Tuesday in Delhi. He was produced before a local court in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday that sent him to ED custody until April 19, the officials said.

The PFI has termed the arrest a "part of the ongoing witch-hunt against the organisation".

"The arrest of M K Ashraf, state executive council member of the Popular Front, is part of the ongoing harassment by the agency against the leaders and members of the organization for the past few years," it said.

"A false case under the PMLA has intentionally registered against the organization four years ago... The ED has not found anything against the organisation even after years of its investigation, and raids, harassment and 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, along with a few other PFI office bearers.

The PFI said that Ashraf was grilled multiple times by the agency and finally arrested after the latest round of questioning. It challenged "the very legality" of the Enforcement Crime Information Report (ECIR) filed against the organisation before the Delhi High Court.

PFI leaders acquired foreign properties: ED

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.

Last month, the agency 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, the "conspiracy" in the Hathras gang rape case, and a few other instances.

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Published April 14th, 2022 at 10:27 IST

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