Kochi: Raising a serious allegation against the Popular Front of India (PFI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has informed a court here that the organisation had received money amounting to around Rs 100 crore in its bank account over the last few years.
The ED made the revelation before the court while seeking the extension of custody of K A Rauf Sheriff, the national general secretary of PFI’s student wing Campus Front, by three more days. According to the ED, it needed Rauf in custody to conduct a detailed investigation into the money trail.
ED alleged that the money received by the Popular Front was used to support the agitations against the Central government’s Citizenship Bill.
ED also said that an amount of Rs 50 lakh was transferred to Rauf’s account even during the lockdown. Several money laundering activities also took place, it added.
However, Rauf’s lawyers told the court that Rauf worked as a manager with a trading firm in Oman and the money was sent to his account for business purposes.
Meanwhile, Rauf, who belongs to Anchal in Kollam district, told the court that ED officials had mentally tortured him and also forced him to sign on 10 blank papers. Based on this statement, the court issued a warning to the investigation team. The court later extended the custody of Rauf by three days.
