Money Laundering Case: Delhi Court Seeks ED Response on Alleged PFI Members Bail PLeas

A Delhi Court has recently sought the response of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the bail applications of three alleged members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in a money laundering case linked to purported terror activities.

Special Judge Shailender Malik issued a notice to the ED regarding the applications submitted by Mohammad Ilias, Mohammad Perwez Ahmed, and Abdul Muqeet.

The judge directed the central investigative agency to provide a response to Ahmed’s plea by August 24 and to the other two applications presented by Ilias and Muqeet by August 26.

The accused individuals lodged their applications before the court last week, contending that they were no longer necessary for the ongoing investigation, as the probe against them had concluded. They argued that holding them in further custody would serve no purpose.

The three accused were apprehended on September 22, 2022, and are presently in judicial custody. The ED had filed a prosecution complaint (an equivalent of a charge sheet) against them on November 19, 2022. The case pertains to the alleged laundering of Rs 120 crore over a span of several years. The PFI was proscribed by the Central government in September of the prior year, citing its purported links to terror-related activities.

The ED initiated the case based on a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), involving alleged terror-related activities punishable under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The agency contended that the accused individuals, along with other members of the organization, engaged in amassing funds through donations, “hawala” transactions, and banking channels.

These funds were allegedly utilized for illegal activities and the commission of various offenses. The anti-money laundering agency asserted that its investigation unveiled fabricated cash donations and bank transfers. Funds were purportedly transferred to India from foreign sources through covert means as part of a conspiracy devised by PFI office-bearers over the course of several years.