ED raids PFI premises in Kerala, seizes evidence of foreign assets

TERRORISM HAS NUMEROUS FACES NOW !

13^th December 2021 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it has got hold of ‘incriminating documents and evidence’ related to foreign funding and acquisition of properties abroad by the Popular Front of India (PFI).

In a statement, the ED said it conducted searches at four premises related to leaders of PFI in Kerala on 8th December. The ED said despite the PFI’s attempt to disrupt the search operations, the ED officers, assisted by a sizeable contingent of CRPF, conducted the search operations successfully.

Searches were conducted at the residential premises of Shafeeque Payeth, a PFI and SDPI member at Peringathur in Kannur; Abdul Razak BP, PFI Divisional President of Perumpadappu at Malappuram; Ashraf MK alias Tamar Ashraf alias Ashraf Khader, a PFI leader at Muvattapuzah in Ernakulam; and the office premises of Munnar Villa Vista project at Mankulam in Munnar.

During the searches, the ED sleuths seized incriminating documents, digital devices and evidence related to foreign funding and acquisition of properties abroad, the statement said.

The ED stated that the seized documents indicate about the money laundering activities of PFI through various projects in Kerala including the Munnar project which is being built by PFI leaders to launder proceeds of crime generated in India and abroad.

“Acquisition of foreign properties by PFI leaders, including a bar and restaurant in Abu Dhabi, has come to the notice of the Directorate (ED), which is under investigation”, it said.

In the past, the ED has carried out similar raids against the PFI to probe money laundering charges. The Islamic organisation has been on the radar of several central agencies like the CBI and NIA for its alleged role in fuelling the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in the country, the riots in Delhi that took place in February last year and a few other cases.

Any person with active participation in Zakir Naik’s IRF will face charges under UAPA : Maharashtra ATS

13^th December 2021 : Mumbai – In view of the Centre extending its ban on Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik by five more years, the Maharashtra ATS said any person actively associated with this organisation will be charged with the stringent anti-terror law. In an advertisement issued in a newspaper, the ATS said that participating in the activities of IRF, collecting donations or becoming its member will be charged with the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Whoever has a membership of IRF, participates in rallies, collects or gives donations or helps to propagate the purpose of the organisation, that person will be liable for prosecution under sections of UAPA, it said. The IRF was first declared an unlawful organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) by the Central Government on 17^th November 2016.

Uttar Pradesh : Bangladeshis were brought to India and sent abroad under Hindu names

Lucknow – With the arrest of nine people, including the mastermind, Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) busted a human trafficking racket, involved in trafficking Bangladeshis into India before sending them abroad on fake Indian passports, ATS officials said.

“The investigation into the case began after intelligence sources revealed that the gang involved in human trafficking is making fake Indian documents. Working on the Intel inputs, the ATS officials tracked down eight Bangladeshi nationals who entered into the country illegally and arrested them”, officials said

The Bangladeshi nationals were kept in an abandoned madarasa in West Bengal where they were trained to speak and sign in Hindi. They were also given fake Indian IDs with Hindu names before being taken to Delhi via train. The arrested people told STF officials that they were trafficked into India by Mahfuzur Rehman, who took Rs 1 lakh each from them. Rehman provided them with fake documents and promised to send them to Dubai for work.

The ATS then arrested Mahfazur Rehman from a madarasa in 24 Pargana, Kolkata. Rehman is also a Bangladeshi who was found to be living on a fake ID.