ED Busts Multinational Terror Funding Network Linked To PFI & SDPI

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has executed a major crackdown on a sophisticated multinational terror funding network linked to the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its political arm, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

Following an extensive investigation, the ED uncovered that this network orchestrated the movement of over ₹62 crore through a shadow economy, employing fraudulent financial practices, fake trusts, underground hawala channels, and a dedicated chain of operatives to finance terrorist training, communal unrest, and radicalisation activities across India.

At the core of this conspiracy is MK Faizy, the National President of SDPI and a member of PFI’s National Executive Council, identified by the ED as the mastermind behind the financial operations. 

Faizy allegedly mobilised funds both domestically and internationally, with significant contributions originating from Gulf nations such as Qatar and the UAE. He personally managed illicit funds, including ₹15.4 lakh routed through HDFC Bank accounts disguised as legitimate political income, which were then redirected to finance violent riots, murder plots, and radical training camps.

The financial web extended through key associates such as Wahidur Rahman, who managed field operations and cash channels, and Rauf Sherif, head of the Campus Front of India (CFI), who played a pivotal role in channelling foreign funds via operatives like Shafeeque Payeth based in Doha. Other figures, including Ashraf MK and Abdul Razak, were instrumental in laundering illicit funds into real estate, while SDPI’s state units acted as regional storage and laundering points.

The investigation also exposed the direct involvement of SDPI operatives Rasheed and Kunju in executing violent, radical activities funded by these illicit channels. The ED’s probe revealed that SDPI, registered as a political party, functioned as a front for PFI, allowing the banned outfit to continue its anti-national operations under the guise of political and social activism.

Documentary evidence confirmed fund transfers from PFI to SDPI, with proceeds of crime identified in multiple states and across numerous bank accounts.

In response, the ED has taken decisive action by freezing accounts, seizing properties worth over ₹61 crore, and arresting key leaders, including Faizy and Wahidur Rahman. The agency has conducted nationwide searches at SDPI and PFI-linked premises and is preparing to share its findings with the Election Commission of India, potentially seeking a ban on SDPI. The investigation is ongoing, with further arrests and seizures expected. The ED is also considering international cooperation to pursue operatives based in foreign territories, especially in the Gulf, which have emerged as critical nodes in this illicit funding network.

This case highlights the existence of a well-organized, transnational conspiracy leveraging political and civil liberties infrastructure to fund terrorism, radicalisation, and destabilising activities within India, underlining the ED’s commitment to dismantling such networks.

Based On A News18 Report

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ED Arrests SDPI National President Mk Faizy Under PMLA Over Alleged Links To Banned PFI

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested M K Faizy, the national president of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The arrest took place on Monday night at Delhi's international airport. This move comes amid allegations of links between the SDPI and the Popular Front of India (PFI), which was banned by the Union government a few years ago.

However, the SDPI has consistently denied any affiliation with the PFI, asserting its independence.

In February 2024, ED officials had raided Faizy's residence in Palakkad as part of a nationwide crackdown on suspected targets, though he was not present at the time.

The arrest of Faizy has sparked controversy, with further details of the case still emerging. The SDPI was founded in 2009 and has faced scrutiny due to its perceived connections to the PFI, despite its claims of being an independent outfit.

The implications of this high-profile arrest are being closely watched, as it may have significant repercussions on the political landscape.

Agencies

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Supreme Court Denies Bail To Ex-PFI Terrorist Abubacker In UAPA Case

The Supreme Court of India has denied bail to E Abubacker, the former chairman of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This decision was made on January 17, 2025, after Abubacker challenged a previous ruling from the Delhi High Court that also denied him bail.

Abubacker was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) during a crackdown on the PFI in September 2022, which was part of a broader initiative to combat terrorism and unlawful activities linked to the organization.

He sought bail on medical grounds, citing health issues such as Parkinson's disease and complications following cancer surgery. However, the Supreme Court found the medical evidence insufficient to warrant his release at this stage. The bench, consisting of Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal, reviewed a medical report from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) before making their decision.

In addition to denying bail, the Supreme Court rejected Abubacker's request for house arrest if he were not released. The court indicated that he could approach the trial court again for bail if his health deteriorates further. The NIA has accused Abubacker and other PFI members of conspiring to raise funds for terrorist activities and conducting training camps aimed at indoctrination.

This ruling follows a series of legal challenges faced by Abubacker since his arrest, including a previous denial by the Delhi High Court which cited strong prima facie evidence against him in relation to UAPA offenses.

ANI

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Surveillance On 350 Female MNC Staff As ISIS Targets Women Employees

NEW DELHI: In a massive operation, security agencies have mounted surveillance on as many as 350 women employees in the critical security verticals of multinational companies, mostly American in origin.

Sources privy to the development said these women, handling sensitive roles in the security architecture of multinational companies, are being targeted by international terror outfits like ISIS with the ulterior motive of exploiting them for future sinister plots.

A banned terror outfit from Kerala has reached out to these women under the guise of similar jobs or being employed by such companies. They have also taken accommodations in proximity to their residences, the sources said.

The Kerala-based terror group, which subsequently shifted its headquarters to Shaheen Bagh in the national capital over a decade ago, has planted its handlers to tap female employees who might be oblivious to the insidious terror tactic.

While the activities of the local terror outfit were first noticed by the agencies about six months ago, the surveillance net was cast about two months ago.

The women being targeted by the terror groups are mostly employed in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Besides surveillance, the agencies are also investigating their family backgrounds to enlist support in persuading the women from going astray.

ISIS is estimated to have targeted the Indian diaspora in West Asia, who in turn identified gullible women professionals back home to enlist them for their insidious agenda. These women could be used to cause major operational disruptions in the MNCs, potentially affecting consumer interests and damaging India's brand image.

Through surveillance, the agencies aim to unravel the larger network of terror groups and their expansive footprint to secure national interests, the sources said.

While ISIS has no intention of holding territory in India, they aim to recruit cadres to further the “Jihadi” agenda in the outfit’s theaters of influence.

Without divulging specifics, a source in the Delhi police said, “We do keep a watch on such suspects through technical and human means when we get specific leads.”

What has worried the agencies is that technically proficient youths have joined ISIS ranks. The recent conviction of a professionally qualified Kashmiri couple, the husband being an engineering graduate with an MBA and the wife having an IT background, who joined ISIS and were recently convicted in a terror case registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), highlights this trend.

The Kashmiri couple was linked to the Islamic State-Khorasan Province, a front group of ISIS, despite holding degrees like B.Tech and MBA. Jahanzaib Sami Wani and his wife, Hina Bashir Beigh, moved to the national capital in 2019 from Jammu and Kashmir. Jahanzaib was employed at a United Kingdom-based company, and his spouse had a bachelor’s degree in computer applications with an MBA. She served at some banks before taking a break for her wedding on October 6, 2019, when Srinagar was still under lockdown after Article 370 was repealed by the Centre on August 5 that year.

The couple was convicted on terror charges on May 6 in the 2020 case originally registered by the special cell of the Delhi police and subsequently taken over by the NIA.

(With Agency Inputs)

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Fake Identities, Pay In Cash: How Bangalore Café Blast Accused Evaded Cops

CCTV footage obtained by investigators shows the accused checking into Dream Guest House in the Ekbalpur area of Kolkata.

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has detained two key suspects in the Rameswaram Café blast case after tracing their movements across multiple states. Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa and Mussavir Hussain Shazib were arrested in West Bengal and brought to Bangalore late last evening.

CCTV footage obtained by investigators shows the accused checking into Dream Guest House in the Ekbalpur area of Kolkata. They arrived at the hotel on March 25 and checked out on March 28, staying under fake identities. This was before they headed to East Midnapore district, sources said.

According to sources familiar with the investigation, the accused frequently changed their addresses as they left Karnataka to evade arrest by law enforcement agencies. They checked into multiple small hotels across various states before finally being apprehended. In most places, they paid by cash to avoid leaving a paper trail.

Officials conducted searches at 18 locations across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh before tracing the accused to Kanthi, a small city located 180 km from Kolkata.

"The accused had been staying in a lodge in Bengal," officials confirmed.

The NIA arrested Shazib and Taahaa for their alleged roles in the blast that occurred at Rameswaram Café on ITPL Road, Brookefield, Bangalore, on March 1. The explosion left 10 people injured.

"Shazib is believed to have placed the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the cafe, while Taahaa is suspected to be the mastermind behind the attack," officials stated.

The NIA took over the investigation on March 3 and had announced a reward of ₹ 10 lakh each for information leading to the arrest of the two accused.

A court in Kolkata granted a 3-day transit remand to the accused on Friday, allowing the NIA to bring them to the Karnataka capital for further investigation. Both suspects will undergo a routine medical test before being produced before the NIA court in Bengaluru.

(With Agency Inputs)

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2 Key Accused Terrorist In Rameshwaram Café Blast Brought To Bangalore After Arrest In Bengal

Adbul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa and Mussavir Hussain Shazib were brought to Bengaluru late last evening after their arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The two men were on the run since the explosion rocked Bangalore café

New Delhi: The two key accused in Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Café blast case, who were arrested in West Bengal yesterday, will be produced in a Bengaluru court today.

Adbul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa and Mussavir Hussain Shazib were brought to Bengaluru late last evening after their arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Shazeb and Taha were traced to Kanthi, or Contai, a small city 180 km from Kolkata, after officials conducted searches at 18 locations across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

The accused, Adbul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa and Mussavir Hussain Shazib, had been staying in a lodge in Bengal, officials said.

A court in Kolkata had yesterday granted a 3-day transit remand to the two men, allowing the NIA to take them to Bangalore.

"Taahaa was the mastermind behind the blast while Shazib placed the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the cafe," officials said.

The two men were on the run since the explosion rocked the popular Bengaluru cafe on March 1, leaving 10 people injured.

"It was Abdul Matheen who also worked on the escape plans and managed to evade arrest all these weeks. The duo, along with their co-accused Maaz Muneer Ahmed, were also involved in terror cases earlier," the NIA said.

The NIA took over the probe on March 3 and had announced a reward of ₹10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of each of the accused.

The Rameshwaram Cafe, which suffered extensive damage after the blast, reopened eight days later, with enhanced security measures including metal detectors.

"We have strengthened our security team and are also trying to set up a separate panel of ex-servicemen who will train security guards at all our branches," co-founder Raghavendra Rao said.

(With Agency Inputs)

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2 Terrorists Who Plotted, Planted Bomb At Bangalore Café Arrested From Bengal

Bangalore: The two men who plotted and executed the blast that rocked Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru last month have been arrested from Kanthi in Bengal's East Midnapore district, the National Investigation Agency said Friday morning. Mussavir Hussain Shazeb and Abdul Matheen Taha were caught after a joint operation by central intelligence agencies and police from Bengal, Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala, and are on the way to Kolkata, the anti-terror agency said in a statement.

The available evidence indicates Shazeb planted the explosive device, placed inside a backpack, at the popular eatery. Taha was responsible for planning the attack and for their disappearance.

These are the second and third arrests in this case; last month Muzammil Shareef, who extended logistical support to the Shazeb and Taha, was taken into custody.

Residents of Karnataka's Shivamogga district, Shazeb and Taha were traced to Kanthi after officials conducted searches at 18 locations across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and even Uttar Pradesh.

The blast at Bangalore's Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1 injured 10 people, customers and staff.

Fortunately there were no deaths; the bag containing the explosives was placed in a relatively less crowded area and against a large pillar that absorbed the brunt of the explosion.

After the blast, the NIA released photos and videos of the accused, as seen on CCTV cameras across Bangalore. In one such clip, the accused - wearing a face mask - was seen boarding a bus.

(With Agency Inputs)

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Anti-Terror Agency Arrests Key Accused In Kerala RSS Leader Murder Case

Shafeekh, who had been on the run since the targeted killing of Srinivasan in Palakkad on April 16, 2022, was traced by the NIA's absconder tracking team in the state's Kollam district, it said

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Shafeekh, a key accused in the 2022 murder case of RSS leader Srinivasan in Kerala, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.

Shafeekh, who had been on the run since the targeted killing of Srinivasan in Palakkad on April 16, 2022, was traced by the NIA's absconder tracking team in the state's Kollam district, it said.

Shafeekh was a key member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), NIA said

He was taken into custody by the anti-terror agency for his involvement in the case on Monday, the NIA said in the statement.

Shafeekh was a key missing member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), it said.

A total of 71 people have been identified as being part of the conspiracy and the NIA has already filed two charge-sheets -- on March 17 and November 6 last year.

One of the accused, identified as Abdul Naser, had died on January 2 last year, while two absconders -- Saheer K V and Jaffar Bheemantavida -- were arrested on October 19 last year and February 12, respectively, the NIA said.

A resident of Kerala's Malappuram district, Shafeekh was part of the PFI machinery and hit squads that had carried out the killing of Srinivasan.

According to investigations, he had harboured Ashraf K P, who under directions from the PFI leadership, had conspired with members of the organisation to execute the conspiracy, the NIA said, adding that Ashraf had also conducted a recce of various potential targets for elimination.

This report is auto-generated from a syndicated feed

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Terrorist of Banned PFI Group, Wanted For Karnataka RSS Cadre's Murder, Arrested From South Africa

Mohammad Ghouse Nayazi (Left) is an accused in the murder of RSS leader Rudresh R (Right)

Mohammad Ghouse Nayazi, accused of killing RSS functionary, arrested in South Africa. Nayazi, member of PFI, allegedly killed RSS leader Rudresh R in 2016. Gujarat ATS tracked Nayazi and alerted central agencies for arrest

Mohammad Ghouse Nayazi, a fugitive criminal accused of killing a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary in Bangalore, has been arrested and extradited to India from South Africa, police said on Saturday.

Nayazi, an active member of the banned extremist organisation Popular Front of India, allegedly plotted and killed RSS leader Rudresh R in Bangalore in 2016.

35-year-old Rudresh R was a Mandal president of the Shivajinagar Shakha of the RSS and secretary of the BJP Shivajinagar.

After the incident, Nayazi fled from the country and was hiding in various locations abroad. The police had also declared a reward of Rs five lakh for providing information about him.

According to sources, the Gujarat ATS first tracked the location of Nayazi, following which central agencies were alerted.

Upon receiving the alert, a team of the National Investigative Agency (NIA) arrested and brought Nayazi back to India.

The arrest of Nayazi is a significant development as during questioning, central agencies may get necessary information about the people involved in running the PFI module in Karnataka and other parts of India, sources said.

Earlier last year, another member of the PFI was arrested by the NIA in connection with the murder of RSS leader SK Srinivasan in Kerala.

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Supreme Court Dismisses PFI's Plea Against UAPA Tribunal’s Order Confirming Centre’s Ban, Allows It To Approach Hight Court

On Monday, November 6, 2023, the Supreme Court dismissed the Popular Front of India's (PFI) plea against an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal's order confirming a five-year ban imposed on it by the central government. The Supreme Court said it would be appropriate for the PFI to first approach the high court against the tribunal's order.

The tribunal's order upheld the ban and designation of PFI and eight other organizations as "unlawful" under the UAPA Act. A notification issued on September 27, 2022, said the Union government was of the firm opinion that it is necessary to declare the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as "unlawful association" with immediate effect.

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NIA Attaches Sixth Oldest And Largest PFI Arms Training Centre In Kerala Spread In 10 Hectares

New Delhi: In its fresh crackdown on the terror activities of the Popular Front of India (PFI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached one of the oldest and largest arms and physical training centres of the banned outfit in Kerala

Spread over in 10 hectares, this is the sixth PFI arms training centre and the 18th property of the outfit to be attached by the NIA in Kerala as "proceeds of terrorism" under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The Green Valley Academy, Manjeri, Kerala is managed by ‘Green Valley Foundation’ (GVF) and was used by the cadres of National Development Front and subsequently by the PFI into which it merged, said the NIA on Monday.

As per the NIA, the PFI had been using the property for "imparting arms training, physical training, and training on use and testing of explosives to its cadres, identified to be part of their ‘Service Wing’."

"The facility was also used to harbour several ‘PFI Service Wing’ members after they committed crimes, including murders," said the NIA.

"The Centre was further being used to impart the radical and rabid type of ideological training in PFI’s divisive and communal agenda and policies to its trained operatives, cadres and members."

Offices of the PFI and its frontal organisations were functioning from these premises under the guise of educational institutions.

The five other PFI training centres attached previously by the NIA in Kerala were Malabar House, Periyar Valley, Valluvanad House, Karunya Charitable Trust and Trivandrum Education and Service Trust (TEST).

Another 12 PFI Offices, used by the outfit’s leadership intermittently to organise training in arms and physical training, ideological propagation, and training for the commission of various crimes, including murders and terrorist acts, have also been attached.

NIA investigations have revealed that the PFI has been running many such training centres in the guise of charitable and educational trusts formed by the organisation’s members or leaders.

"Investigations have also revealed that the PFI had hired several buildings for running their training camps and activities relating to terror and violence," said the NIA.

On March 17 this year, the NIA filed a chargesheet against 59 accused, including the PFI as an organisation, in the case.

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Pro-PFI Stickers, Cracker Bombs Put Up At Houses In Navi Mumbai; Cops Register Case

Police have registered a case against unidentified persons for allegedly putting up stickers hailing the banned organisation Popular Front of India PFI and tying cracker bombs at some houses in Navi Mumbai, officials said on Sunday. The stickers and bombs have been seized and a probe launched into the case, they said.

Some persons wrote ''PFI Zindabad'' and ''786'' with green ink on stickers and pasted them at the entrance of a house in New Panvel area in the wee hours of Saturday. Besides, cracker bombs and incense sticks were found tied at two other houses in the area, the police said in a crime report. The Khandeshwar police on Saturday night registered an FIR against unidentified persons under Indian Penal Code section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), they said. No arrest has been made so far in this connection, the police added.

In September last year, the central government banned PFI and several of its associates for five years under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), accusing them of having ''links'' with global terror groups like ISIS.

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Two Women Naxalites Carrying Bounty of Rs 14 Lakh Gunned Down In MP

Two women Naxalites carrying bounty of Rs 14 lakh gunned down in MP's Balaghat, CM Chouhan congratulates police team

Balaghat: State Hawk force and police team killed two women Naxals carrying a reward of Rs 14 lakh each in an encounter in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district in the early hours of Saturday.

The Naxals were gunned down in Kandla forest under Garhi police station of the district. The women Naxals were identified as Sunita (Bhoram Dev Area Committee Member) and Sarita (Khatia Mocha Area Committee Member). Both of them were active in Naxal activities for the past many years. The police team also recovered rifles, live cartridges, weapons, edible stuff and other materials from the spot.

After the killing of the Naxals during the night, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday morning congratulated the state police, hawk force and district police force for the same.

"Two dreaded Naxalites were killed, who were carrying a bounty of 14 lakh each on their heads, in an encounter in Balaghat in the night. Weapons and many other things have also been recovered from them. I congratulate the soldiers for the same," CM Chouhan told ANI.

The Chief Minister further said that it was the fourth encounter in the last one and half years. The bravery and alertness of the police is that they are continuously killing the Naxalites. A total of eight dreaded Naxalites killed so far in the 1.5 years on whom a reward of about Rs 1.5 crore were announced.

"Our resolution is the rule of law. We will not allow any dacoits to flourish or Naxalites to spread their wings in the state. After Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), we are engaged in eliminating Popular Front of India (PFI) people involved in terror activities from the state. We will not spare the goons and miscreants who disturb the peace and tranquillity of the public. It is the commitment of the MP Government," Chouhan added.

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Leader of Banned PLFI Arrested In Kerala

The Kerala police on Tuesday arrested a Jharkhand native, an area leader of the banned militant outfit People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) and wanted in several criminal cases there, from a migrant workers' camp here.

The arrest was made around 12.30 AM and the accused is in custody at Pantheerankavu police station. "He was living with the labourers at the camp and was working as a migrant worker here," a senior officer said. He also said that the accused was an area leader of PLFI in Jharkhand and is suspected of having planned the recent setting ablaze of several road construction vehicles there.

Besides that the man is also an accused in a 2019 case under the Arms Act for being in possession of various weapons. He said the Jharkhand police had informed their counterpart in Kerala that the accused might be present in the southern state and based on the details given by it, all the labourer camps in Kozhikode district were inspected.

"After verifying the identities of several hundred workers, we found him," the officer said. The accused was arrested by the Kerala police and he was technically handed over to the Jharkhand police. However, as the Jharkhand Police did not have the facility to keep him secure, the accused is presently in custody at the Pantheerankavu police station. "The Jharkhand Police is making arrangements, including getting a transit remand, to take the accused back with them," he added.

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'In Pakistan Conflict, Army Will Be Busy North, We Take South': PFI Planned To Wage War On India, Says Witness

New Delhi: In his recorded statement before the magistrate, one of the NIA's protected key witnesses, who was once a member of the core team of the Popular Front of India (PFI), claimed that all arrested members of the banned outfit were taught that in the event of a disturbance from Pakistan, the Indian Army would be busy in the North and that with PFI's training, they could capture South India and move towards the North, the probe agency said in its chargesheet filed in a Delhi court.

According to the chargesheet filed against 19 senior PFI officials in connection with a criminal conspiracy aimed at destabilising and dismembering the country, PFI was putting together a “highly motivated, trained and secretive elite force to achieve its violent long-term objective of establishment of Islamic rule in India by 2047” under the guise of a socio-political movement.

The NIA, which searched 39 PFI-related sites and arrested scores of PFI office-bearers last year, charged 19 people as accused, including 12 PFI national executive council (NEC) members, founding members, and senior officials, The Indian Express reported.

The investigating officer (IO) stated in their chargesheet that a thorough assessment of protected witnesses proved that the PFI formulated plans to achieve their long-term goal of creating an Islamic Caliphate by destroying the democratically elected government through armed revolt.

“One of the protected witnesses said that in Tharbiyath sessions held by the accused, it was mentioned that in case of any disturbance from Pakistan, the Indian Army would be busy in the North, and with PFI’s training they could capture the South and move towards the North. This indicates PFI’s intention of waging war against India and to overthrow the democratically established government,” as per the chargesheet.

“PFI was secretly recruiting men and organising arms training across the country to raise an ‘army’ willing and ready to wage war against the central government,” said the chargesheet.

One of the primary components of their intended approach was to target senior leaders of organisations that oppose PFI's philosophy, especially Hindu organisations. They profiled them and [intended to] murder them using their assassination squads/service teams to create a communal schism amongst the groups.

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