The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made a big disclosure about the Popular Front of India (PFI) behind the protests and violence over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in several districts of Uttar Pradesh. According to ED sources, there is a direct connection between the protest-violence and popular front of India in CAA in Uttar Pradesh. In a note sent to the Home Ministry, the ED has said that more than 120 crores were transferred from 73 bank accounts linked to PFI to the accounts of many people and institutions. The ED investigation has revealed that lakhs of rupees have also been transferred to the accounts of veteran lawyers Kapil Sibal, Dushyant Dave and Indira Jaisingh. Amounts were immediately withdrawn from these accounts.
According to the ED note, during the investigation, 73 accounts have been found out of which 27 accounts of PFI and nine related entities of Rehab India Foundation (RIF) and money in 37 accounts of related persons / units in 17 different banks. Have been deposited.
The ED found in the investigation that about 120.5 crore have been deposited in 73 bank accounts, which were withdrawn leaving very nominal amount in these bank accounts either within the performance or within two to three days. Cash is deposited in these bank accounts by RTGS / NXT and IMPS. The ED has said that transactions have been done in these accounts only through checks.
The entire conspiracy was exposed when cash was caught several times in the districts of Bahraich, Bijnor, Hapur, Shamli, Dasna etc. during the investigation of the money deposited in the accounts of Syndicate Bank of Nehru Place, Delhi of PFI. Cash 41 crore 50 lakh was deposited in these bank accounts. At the same time, most of the cash was deposited in 27 bank accounts of PFI, which is about fifty percent of the total deposits. Out of these 59 crore accounts, 27 crore rupees were deposited in cash.
According to the ED, when the PFI’s account number 44051010004277 was examined at Syndicate Bank located in Kozhikode Mavoor Road, it was found that many eminent people and institutions had poured money into it. During the investigation it was revealed that PFI paid Rs.1 crore 17 lakh to New Jothi Group, a registrar firm in Tamil Nadu which has several branches across the country and is engaged in plastic / bag business. According to the ED, PFI and New Jothi Group are operating in two different areas, hence the active investigation of these two transactions has been done.
During the investigation, the agency came to know that Rs 20 lakh was received from M / s PMA International LLC Dubai in the bank account of M / s Rehab India Foundation (RIF), the concerned entity of PFI. Investigations are ongoing regarding the nature of fund and business activities of M / s PMA International LLC, Dubai.
According to intelligence input, the PFI is actively supported by the Thanal Foundation which is a religious and charitable trust run by the PFI leader. The source of finance of Thanal Foundation is being investigated.