New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Friday that the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) has a network of over 13,000 members in countries such as Singapore and the Gulf region, including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, actively involved in fundraising activities. Following this revelation, the ED took action by attaching assets worth Rs.56 crore linked to the organization, claiming that the funds were transferred to India through complex banking routes and illegal hawala channels to avoid detection, reports The Times of India.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had banned PFI and its eight affiliate organizations on September 28, 2022, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This followed a series of raids by the ED and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), with allegations that the group was involved in ‘radicalization’ and ‘terror financing’. Since 2021, 26 PFI members, including senior leaders, have been arrested, and nine charge sheets have been filed against them.
The ED’s investigation said that PFI’s members abroad were organized into District Executive Committees (DECs), which were responsible for collecting funds from the Non-Resident Muslim diaspora. These committees had ambitious fundraising targets, with the funds being channelled into India through legal and underground hawala networks. The funds, according to the ED, were allegedly used to finance illegal activities.
Despite the PFI’s claims of adhering to peaceful protests, the ED said its investigation uncovered evidence suggesting the organization was preparing for violent unrest. Furthermore, the ED accused the PFI of conducting arms training under the guise of physical education (PE) classes.
However, members of the community have expressed concerns about the government’s actions, with some alleging that the PFI has been unfairly targeted. Critics argue that despite its 25-year presence, there have been no cases of hate speech or terrorism directly linked to the organization, suggesting that the crackdown may be politically motivated.
