The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested MK Faizy, the national president of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), in connection with a money laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Faizy, who heads the political wing of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI), was apprehended at Delhi airport on Monday night, officials said.
The arrest follows an earlier raid conducted by the ED at Faizy’s residence in Kerala on February 28 as part of an ongoing investigation into the financial activities of the PFI and its affiliated organizations. The Ministry of Home Affairs had banned the PFI and its eight affiliates on September 28, 2022, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), citing concerns over alleged radicalization and terror funding.
PFI’s Financial Network Under ED’s Radar
Since 2021, the ED has arrested 26 members of the PFI, including senior office bearers, and has filed nine charge sheets against the organization. The agency has been tracking financial transactions linked to the PFI and its affiliates, suspecting them of routing funds through both legal and illegal channels, including hawala networks.
In October 2024, the ED claimed that the PFI had around 13,000 active members in Singapore and Gulf nations such as Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. According to the agency, these members were tasked with raising funds, which were then allegedly transferred to India through a complex network of banking routes and illegal hawala transactions.
SDPI Under Scrutiny
While the SDPI has not been banned, its activities have remained under investigation by central agencies. In 2022, as part of a nationwide crackdown on the PFI, multiple SDPI offices across different cities were raided. Additionally, SDPI leaders have been linked to high-profile criminal cases.
In 2016, SDPI member Ghouse Nayazi was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his alleged role in the murder of RSS leader R Rudresh. SDPI members were also named by the NIA in the infamous 2010 palm-chopping case of Professor T J Joseph in Kerala.
ED’s Allegations Against PFI
The ED’s investigation claims that the PFI engaged in various activities aimed at destabilizing the nation, including “violent” protests, mock funerals, air raids, and civil disobedience campaigns to promote an “Islamic movement” in India. The agency further alleged that the organization employed subversive tactics such as revealing the identities of secret agents and creating parallel governance structures.
Among the controversial strategies attributed to the PFI, the ED cited methods like guerrilla theater, haunting and taunting officials, and even Lysistratic non-action— a historical term referring to withholding sex to achieve political goals.
What’s Next?
With Faizy’s arrest, authorities are expected to further probe the financial transactions linked to the SDPI and PFI. The ED is likely to intensify its scrutiny of foreign funding networks and potential violations of Indian laws concerning money laundering and national security.
This latest development adds to the ongoing legal challenges faced by the SDPI and PFI, as central agencies continue their crackdown on organizations suspected of promoting radical ideologies and illicit financial activities.
Sources By Agencies
