New Delhi: A court here has allowed the Enforcement Directorate seven days’ custody of three Delhi unit functionaries of the Popular Front of India (PFI) for their alleged role in money laundering in the guise of cash donations.
The court was hearing the ED’s application seeking remand for two weeks of the three accused – Perwez Ahmad, president of PFI Delhi, Mohd. Ilias, general secretary of the Delhi unit and its office secretary Abdul Muqeet.
Having considered the submissions and having gone through the record of the investigation carried out till now, I find that investigation is at a very initial stage and all efforts regarding tracing the details of receiving of cash donation, the purpose of the same and implementation of that money used as well as the source of the same are required to be investigated thoroughly, Special Judge (NIA) Shailender Malik said in an order dated September 23.
Therefore, taking into consideration the entire circumstances and facts, custody of the accused persons be handed over to ED for one-week police remand with directions for conducting prior medical examination of each accused persons , the judge added.
The agency arrested the accused last Thursday.
In its submissions before the court, the agency said that the accused along with other members of PFI collected funds through donations, hawala, banking channels, etc and used the funds for unlawful activities and commission of scheduled offences.
According to ED’s remand paper, over the years, transfer of funds was even being done from abroad through a clandestine or illegal channel under a conspiracy hatched by office bearers of PFI.
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