PFI involved in money laundering, ED tells court, 3 accused sent to jail

Popular Front of India (PFI) has been involved in continuous offences of money laundering over the years, the Enforcement Directorate Friday told a Delhi Court which remanded three arrested office bearers of the banned outfit to 14 days of judicial custody.

The agency also said that its investigation had revealed that the accused persons played an active role in raising or receiving bogus cash donations on behalf of PFI.

The agency arrested the three accused, Perwez Ahmad, President of PFI Delhi, Mohd. Ilias, general secretary of the Delhi unit, and its office secretary Abdul Muqeet on September 22 for their alleged role in the offence of money laundering in the guise of cash donations.

Additional Sessions Judge Shailender Malik remanded the three accused to 14 days of judicial custody after they were produced before him on completion of their seven days of custodial interrogation.

The ED in its remand application said Prevention of money laundering Act (PMLA) investigation has revealed that as part of a criminal conspiracy hatched by PFI office bearers over the past many years, suspicious funds from within the country and abroad have been raised by PFI and related entities,

It also said that the funds were clandestinely remitted to India and deposited in their bank accounts.

Elaborating further, the agency said that the funds were layered, placed, and integrated through the numerous bank accounts of the organisation as well as other PFI members or sympathisers.

Thus, PFI and its related entities have been involved in the continuous offence of money laundering over the years, ED said.

Investigation qua the accused persons has revealed that they have played an active role in (raising or receiving ) bogus cash donations on behalf of PFI, ED added.

The accused also claimed and projected PFI's unaccounted cash, received through unknown and suspicious sources, as legitimate, it said.

As the investigation in the case was continuing and required the gathering of additional information along with the examination of voluminous data from digital devices, the court could grant judicial custody of the accused, the remand application said.

Further, judicial custody was also required to ensure that the accused did not influence witnesses or tamper with evidence, the application said.

Earlier, on September 24 the court had allowed the ED seven days' custody of the three accused.