New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday filed a charge sheet against the banned Popular Front of India and three of its members in a money laundering case related to alleged terror-related activities.
The document is likely to be handed over for a hearing before Special Judge Shailender Malik on November 21.
Apart from PFI, Perwez Ahmed, Mohd Ilias, and Abdul Muqeet were accused in the charge sheet.
“A fresh complaint (ED is equivalent to prosecution) has been filed. It will be scrutinized and registered. It will come up for consideration in the appropriate court on November 21, 2022,” Justice Devender Kumar Jangala said.
According to the charge sheet filed by ED Special Public Prosecutor N K Matta, accused Ahmed was the president of PFI’s Delhi unit, while Mohd Ilias was its general secretary and Abdul Muqeet was the office secretary.
The accused were arrested on September 22 in a case related to the alleged laundering of ₹120 crores over the years.
The center was banned by PFI in late September due to alleged links to terrorist activities.
The ED filed the case based on an FIR lodged by the NIA for alleged terrorism-related activities punishable under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The investigation conducted so far revealed that the accused and other members associated with the said organization were indulging in raising funds through donations, hawala, banking channels, etc., which were used for illegal activities and the commission of scheduled crimes, the ED said in the final report.
Fake cash donations and bank transfers were also found, said the prosecution filed through advocate Mohd Faizan Khan.
It alleged that the transfer of funds was even made from abroad to India through a secret channel as part of a conspiracy hatched by PFI officials over the years.
The report claimed that all three accused were searched and five mobile phones were seized after the ECIR registered the case on September 22.
The charge sheet contains the statement of the accused and witnesses recorded during the investigation.