Thiruvananthapuram: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday morning conducted searches at the offices of the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in three key locations across Kerala — Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, and Kozhikode — as part of a nationwide crackdown.
According to sources, the raids are being carried out in 10 states at 14 locations.
The latest crackdown comes just three days after the arrest of M.K. Faizy, the National President of SDPI, in connection with a money laundering case tied to the PFI. Faizy was taken into custody at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on March 3 and was subsequently presented before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court at Patiala House, which granted the ED six days of custodial interrogation.
Investigators suspect that SDPI received Rs 4.07 crore from PFI through illegal hawala channels and allegedly funneled the 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 launched the raid at the SDPI state committee office, located in the heart of the state capital. The operation reportedly caught the Kerala Police and state intelligence officials off guard, 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, housed in a rented building. Raids were also reported in Kozhikode.
Founded in 2009, the SDPI has long been suspected of having close ties 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 consistently denied any direct association with the PFI, claiming to be an independent political organisation, Faizy’s arrest and the fresh raids have once again put the party’s financial dealings under the scanner.
Notably, Faizy himself was a former PFI member before joining the SDPI in 2009. Over the years, he rose through the ranks and was eventually elected as the party’s national president.
(IANS)
