ED raids 12 offices of SDPI in Delhi, Bengaluru after party chief's arrest

ED raid at SDPI office in Thane, Maharashtra. (Image: ANI)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted raids at a dozen locations as part of a money laundering investigation against Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political outfit of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

The raids come after the federal probe agency arrested SDPI's national president M K Faizy from Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), PTI reported.

The searches were conducted at two locations in Delhi, including the SDPI headquarters, Thiruvananthapuram and Malappuram in Kerala, Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh, Pakur in Jharkhand, Thane in Maharashtra, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Jaipur, sources told PTI.

The ED had claimed then that there existed an "organic" relation between the two outfits and that the PFI was carrying out its criminal activities through the political party (SDPI). The SDPI was founded in 2009 and headquartered in Delhi. It is alleged to be the political front of the PFI.

The PFI was banned by the Union government in September, 2022, calling it an unlawful association and for indulging in terrorist activities.

It is also registered as a political party with the Election Commission of India.

The current raids underscore the ed's ongoing scrutiny of organizations suspected of involvement in activities contravening national laws, ANI reported.

Amid the raids and the arrest of its national president, SDPI Karnataka state president Abdul Majeed has expressed outrage at the Modi government's hate politics.

"The Modi government is misusing investigating agencies in an attempt to suppress opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill. However, such intimidation by the central government cannot hinder the SDPI's constitutional struggle," he alleged, ANI reported.

(With inputs from agencies)