ED intensifies crackdown on SDPI with raids across India

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at a dozen locations on Thursday as part of a money laundering investigation against the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political outfit linked to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), official sources said. The searches follow the arrest of SDPI national president M K Faizy by the federal probe agency.

Raids were carried out at two locations in Delhi, including the SDPI headquarters, as well as in Thiruvananthapuram and Malappuram in Kerala, Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh, Pakur in Jharkhand, Thane in Maharashtra, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Jaipur, sources confirmed.

The ED had previously alleged an "organic" link between SDPI and PFI, claiming that the banned outfit continued its criminal activities through the political party. The Union government banned the PFI in September 2022, declaring it an unlawful association involved in terrorist activities.

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Delhi, SDPI is alleged to be the political front of the PFI. It is also registered as a political party with the Election Commission of India.

With PTI inputs