ED Conducts Raids on SDPI Offices in Kerala Amid Nationwide Action

Synopsis

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) undertook raids at the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) offices in Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, and Kozhikode, as part of a nationwide crackdown following the arrest of SDPI President M.K. Faizy linked to a money laundering investigation.

Key Takeaways

ED raided SDPI offices in Kerala.
Raids conducted in Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, and Kozhikode.
M.K. Faizy, SDPI National President, arrested.
Investigation involves Rs 4.07 crore and PFI links.
Raids are part of a larger crackdown across 10 states.

Thiruvananthapuram, March 6 (NationPress) - The Enforcement Directorate (ED) executed searches at the offices of the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in three major locations across Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, and Kozhikode on Thursday morning, as part of a sweeping nationwide operation.

Sources indicate that the raids are taking place in 10 states across 14 locations.

This latest action follows the arrest of M.K. Faizy, the National President of SDPI, three days prior, linked to a money laundering investigation connected to the PFI. Faizy was detained at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on March 3 and was later presented to a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which permitted six days of custodial interrogation for the ED.

Investigators suspect that SDPI received Rs 4.07 crore from PFI through illegal hawala channels and purportedly redirected these funds to its units nationwide.

In Thiruvananthapuram, a seven-member ED team from the Kochi unit, accompanied by armed central security personnel, arrived in private vehicles and initiated the raid at the SDPI state committee office located in the center of the state capital. The operation reportedly took the Kerala Police and state intelligence officials by surprise, as they were unaware of the agency's plans.

Similarly, in Malappuram, another ED team from the Chennai unit conducted searches at the SDPI district office, situated in a rented building. Raids were also reported in Kozhikode.

Established in 2009, the SDPI has been long suspected of having close connections with the PFI, which was banned by the Union Government in 2022 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for its alleged involvement in anti-national activities.

While the SDPI has persistently denied any direct link to the PFI, asserting its status as an independent political entity, Faizy's arrest and the recent raids have once again scrutinized the party's financial transactions.

Notably, Faizy was once a member of the PFI before joining the SDPI in 2009. Over the years, he advanced through the ranks and was ultimately elected as the party's national president.