ED conducts searches across four States in SDPI case

The ED has alleged that the Social Democratic Party of India is a “political front” of the banned Popular Front of India and it was a recipient, beneficiary, and user of the funds which were raised by its parent body within and outside India. File
| Photo Credit: enforcementdirectorate.gov.in

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday (March 20, 2025) conducted searches across four States in connection with the money-laundering charge allegedly involving the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

“The searches were carried out in Mettupalaiyam (Coimbatore) and Arcot (Vellore) in Tamil Nadu; Bhilwara and Kota in Rajasthan; Kolkata in West Bengal; and Kottayam and Palakkad in Kerala,” an agency official said.

Earlier this month, the agency searched 12 locations across 10 States in the case against the banned outfit, the Popular Front of India (PFI), days after the arrest of SDPI national president M.K. Faizy at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Also read | ED raids SDPI office at Malappuram in Kerala

The operation had covered two locations, including SDPI HQ, in Delhi; Thiruvananthapuram and Malappuram, Kerala; Bengaluru, Karnataka; Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh; Thane, Maharashtra; Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Pakur, Jharkhand; Kolkata, West Bengal; Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh; and Jaipur, Rajasthan.

The ED has alleged that SDPI is a “political front” of PFI and it was a recipient, beneficiary, and user of the funds which were raised by PFI within and outside India. The agency has so far quantified the amount with respect to SDPI as ₹4.07 crore.

It alleges that the PFI office-bearers, members, and cadre raised/collected funds from India and abroad (Gulf countries) through banking or “hawala” channels, as part of a conspiracy to commit or finance terror activities across the country. The agency has also alleged that SDPI was a “front” of PFI having common members/cadre and leaders and that SDPI was “dependent” on PFI for its day-to-day functions, policy making, selecting candidates for elections, cadre mobilisation, and other related activities.

In the PFI case, the ED has attached assets worth ₹61.72 crore, filed nine prosecution complaints, and arrested 26 office bearers/members/cadre so far.