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New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against two Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders – Abdul Razzak Peediyakkal and Ashraf MK for alleged money laundering worth ₹22 crore.
The agency said in a statement on Friday the accused persons, in association with other PFI leaders and members associated with overseas entities, were developing a residential project – Munnar Villa Vista Project (MVVP) at Munnar, Kerala “with a motive to launder money collected from foreign countries as well as within the country and to generate funds for PFI to finance its radical activities.”
“The proceeds of crime in the form of unaccounted and unexplained cash as well as foreign funds were parked in MVVP and were projected as untainted,” the ED said.
Razzak, a divisional president of PFI’s Perumpadappu unit in Malappuram, was arrested in March this year from Kozhikode airport when he was allegedly trying to flee the country. Ashraf MK was arrested last month in Delhi.
The ED has been investigating the acquisition of some foreign assets, including a bar-cum-restaurant in Abu Dhabi by PFI leaders after the seizure of some documents in raids conducted on December 8 last year on its members in Kerala as part of the money laundering case.
It said on Friday that Razzak, a long-time member of PFI, was a key figure representing organizations in the Gulf countries and was actively involved in the fundraising activities of the outfit in India and abroad.
“He transferred around ₹34 lakh from UAE to Rehab India Foundation (RIF) – a front organization of PFI. Similarly, he transferred ₹2 lakh to M K Faizy, president of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) – the political front of PFI. Investigation also revealed that he was involved in raising or collecting funds abroad and transferred around ₹19 crore to India through illegal channels,” the probe agency statement said.
Ashraf MK, a member of PFI’s Kerala State Executive Council, was also involved in the funding of PFI as well as the related entities. “He was the owner of Darbar restaurant in Abu Dhabi which served as a money laundering front of PFI. However, to conceal the laundering of proceeds of crime through Darbar restaurant, he did not disclose the fact of ownership of Darbar restaurant before the government authorities,” the agency said.
“He received proceeds of crime worth ₹48 lakh from his brother who was managing Darbar restaurant in Abu Dhabi. Another company owned by him – Tamar India Spices Pvt Ltd – was also used to launder proceeds of crime,” the agency added. Overall, there was laundering worth ₹22 crore by both the leaders.
There was no statement from PFI on ED charges till publishing of this report.
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