In a massive breakthrough, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has exposed a deep-rooted, transnational terror funding and radicalisation racket orchestrated by the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its political front, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). The criminal network moved over Rs 62 crore through shadow channels to fund activities designed to destabilise India.
A Shadow Economy of Terror
According to ED reports, the illegal funds were channelled via a web of hawala operators, fake trusts, political accounts, and foreign donations, mainly from Qatar and the UAE. The money wasn’t just siphoned off; it was actively used to finance terror training camps, communal riots, and anti-India mobilisation.
MK Faizy: The Mastermind
The operation was masterminded by MK Faizy, SDPI National President and senior PFI leader. He oversaw both domestic and international fundraising, laundering funds via SDPI accounts and disguising them as legitimate political income. The ED tracked at least Rs 15.4 lakh personally handled by Faizy via an HDFC account to sponsor violent riots and radicalisation.
A Network Built to Bleed India
Faizy was assisted by key operatives:
- Wahidur Rahman, who controlled ground-level cash movement for operational violence.
- Rauf Sherif, CFI head and key fund conduit, especially from abroad.
- Shafeeque Payeth, based in Doha, enabled foreign remittances.
- Ashraf MK and Abdul Razak, who helped convert black money into real estate assets.
This wasn’t just about funding. SDPI field operatives like Rasheed and Kunju executed plans on the ground, participating in communal riots and targeted unrest across Indian states.
Terror Under a Political Mask
The SDPI-PFI nexus exploited India’s democratic and legal frameworks to mask their intentions. By operating as a political party and a civil rights group, they used their legal status to gain credibility, evade scrutiny, and continue radicalising Indian youth while undermining national unity.
ED Strikes Back
The ED has launched a multi-front crackdown:
- Bank accounts frozen
- Properties seized
- Key leaders interrogated
- More arrests expected
The agency is also coordinating internationally to track Gulf-based financiers. With Gulf countries increasingly becoming hubs for anti-India funding, the crackdown is set to extend beyond India’s borders.
The Real Threat Within
This is not just another financial crime. It’s a covert war against the Indian state, bankrolled by ideologues posing as activists and politicians. The PFI-SDPI network is not merely anti-establishment; it is anti-India, and its dismantling is a national imperative.
The ED’s exposure of this 62 crore rupee terror network is not just a criminal case. It’s a wake-up call.