ED Unearths 'Evidence' Linking PFI To Shaheen Bagh Protests: Sources

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has found crucial evidence linking the Popular Front of India (PFI) to the anti-CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh. According to sources, Rs 120.5 crore was credited in 17 different banks to a total of 73 bank accounts of which 27 bank accounts are operated by the PFI. As many as 37 accounts are in the names of certain individuals and groups and nine bank accounts are operated by Rehab India Foundation (RIF).

The ED sources also revealed that the most of the donations received by the PFI was by cash contributions and a bulk of the amount was kept at PFI headquarters in Shaheen Bagh. The sources also said that the ED has claimed that PFI was in touch with some of the leaders in the Congress and the AAP.

A recent finding of the federal agency, related to violent protests in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) having an alleged "financial link" with the PFI, is also under the probe scanner of the ED along with some purported dubious deposits in the bank accounts linked to the Rehab India Foundation (RIF).

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It had issued summons to seven office-bearers of the PFI and RIF outfits on Tuesday in connection with this case. Those summoned include PFI and Rehab India Foundation (RIF) Chairman E Abubacker, PFI vice-chairman O M Abdul Salam, general secretary M Mohammed Ali Jinnah and national secretaries Anis Ahmed and Abdul Wahid Sait.

The ED had found, sources said, that at least Rs 1.04 crore was deposited in several bank accounts linked to the PFI between December 4 last year and January 6 in various parts of the country. This was the time when Parliament amended the law to grant citizenship to non-Muslims who were persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.