New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday extended the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) custody of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) national president M K Faizy by three days in connection with a money laundering case linked to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh granted the extension on the ED’s plea, which initially sought five more days to further interrogate Faizy and trace the alleged money trail, reported PTI.

Faizy was first sent to ED custody on March 4 after his arrest the previous night from Delhi International Airport under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency alleged he had been on the run and sought 10 days of custody, arguing that he needed to be confronted with evidence related to financial transactions. However, his defense contended that the funds in question were transferred before PFI was declared unlawful in September 2022, questioning how Faizy could have anticipated the ban.

The SDPI, established in 2009 and headquartered in Delhi, has been accused by the ED of being PFI’s political wing—an allegation the party denies, asserting its independent status. Investigative agencies claim SDPI holds significant influence in Kerala, Karnataka, and other southern states.

As part of its 2022 probe into PFI’s financial dealings, the ED linked Faizy to Kerala-based PFI leader Abdul Razak B P, who allegedly transferred ₹2 lakh to him as part of a fundraising effort for SDPI.

According to the SDPI, Faizy, one of the party’s founding leaders, was elected national president in 2018. An Islamic scholar and political observer, he previously served as a Masjid Imam in the 1980s.

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