PFI activists caught for receiving Rs.1.36 crores from Oman and Qatar to engineer riots in Uttar Pradesh summoned by Lucknow Court

ED’s investigation proves money came from Oman and Qatar

The Special Judge of Lucknow Court has summoned the “extremist” pro-Jehadi organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) and its student wing Campus Front of India (CFI) activists in money laundering case involving Rs.1.36 crores transfer from Oman and Qatar to engineer communal clashes in Uttar Pradesh. The summoned persons are K A Rauf Sherif, Siddique Kappan, who is PFI office secretary and also working in media, Attikur Rahman, Masud and Alam who are under the custody of Uttar Pradesh Police and Enforcement Directorate (ED). As per the ED’s investigation Rs.1.36 crores from Oman and Qatar came to Keralite Rauf’s account and Siddique Kappan shared this money to other accused persons. Rauf and Siddique are from Kerala and operating in Delhi and Rauf was nabbed by ED when he was trying to flee to Oman from Thiruvananthapuram airport[1].

The Lucknow Court’s Special Judge Dinesh Kumar Sharma exposed the activities of PFI. The activities of PFI came in the radar of ED from 2018. “As per the complaint case, PFI has been involved in anti-national and anti-social activities such as possessing arms, kidnapping, murder, intimidation, hate campaigns, rioting etc,” said the summoning order for money laundering. Attikur Rahman, Masud, Alam and Siddique Kappan were arrested by UP Police on their way to Hathras to create communal tension in the wake of Dalit girl’s murder. The Order says the car was purchased in cash for Rs.2.25 lakhs in cash a few days ago by Alam and the money was received from Rauf. During the interrogation and checking the bank accounts of Siddique Kappan, the UP and Police and ED unearthed the role of Rauf. The Court has summoned the five accused on March 18.

Meanwhile Kerala based journalist union – Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) – was trying to save Siddique Kappan by giving him a cover as a journalist and was claiming that he went to Hathras to cover the agitation in the wake of a Dalit girl’s murder. Siddique Kappan is secretary of KUWJ’s Delhi unit and was working in PFI’s now-defunct newspaper ‘Thejas’. He is also office secretary of PFI’s Delhi office in Shaheen Bagh. Though the other accused applied for bail, Siddique Kappan mysteriously has not yet applied for bail and is trying to save himself from the case by portraying as a journalist and directly filing petitions to Supreme Court. The apex court has asked the KUWJ many times to approach the local court or high court. Meanwhile, UP Police filed an affidavit exposing the lies of KUWJ and the charges of financial irregularities, facing probe in Kerala[2].

References:

[1] ED nabs PFI student wing leader from airport trying to flee to Oman. UP Police to join interrogation. Found more than two crores in bank accounts. – Dec 13, 2020, PGurus.com

[2] UP Police accuses Kerala Journalists Union KUWJ of financial irregularities and land grabbing – Dec 14, 2020, PGurus.com