A Delhi court has asked the Enforcement Directorate to respond to bail applications from three alleged members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in a money laundering case related to terror activities. The court has given the ED until August 24 to reply to one application and until August 26 to reply to the other two applications.
The accused have filed the applications claiming that they are no longer needed for investigation as it has already been completed. They argue that there is no reason to keep them in custody any longer.
The accused were arrested on September 22, 2022, and are currently in judicial custody. The ED filed a charge sheet against them on November 19, 2022, accusing them of laundering Rs 120 crore over several years.
The PFI was banned by the government in September last year due to its alleged connections with terrorist activities. The ED filed the case based on an FIR lodged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The agency claims that the accused and other PFI members collected funds through donations, hawala, and banking channels for unlawful activities. They allege that their investigation revealed bogus cash donations and bank transfers. Funds were also allegedly transferred from abroad to India through a secret channel organized by PFI office-bearers over the years.
