A Busy ED Summons Gandhis, Freezes 23 PFI Accounts In Two Separate Cases

The Enforcement Directorate has had a busy day today. On one hand ED issued summon to mother-son duo of Indian National Congress, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, in the National Herald money laundering case. And on the other hand, in, what is being seen as a hugely significant step, the Directorate has frozen 23 bank accounts of Islamist organization, Popular Front of India (PFI) and 10 accounts of its front organization Rehab India Foundation (RIF). The accounts have been freezed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The move comes a month after the ED filed a prosecution case against two PFI leaders, Abdul Razak Peediyakkal alias Abdul Razak BP and Asharaf Khadir alias Ashraf MK. Both were office bearers of the Kerala-based organization and have been chargesheeted in a Rs 22 crore money laundering case. Their chargesheet states that Abdul Razak and Asharaf Khadir set up a business in Munnar, Kerala, with the intention to launder money acquired from abroad. The money was eventually to be allegedly used for PFI's ‘radical activities.' The ED has also been scrutinizing overseas properties purchased by various PFI leaders, which includes a bar-cum-restaurant in Abu Dhabi. The money-laundering investigation was launched after some papers were discovered in raids conducted on PFI members in Kerala on December 8 last.