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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made a significant move in its ongoing investigation into money laundering activities involving the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). As part of the probe, the ED has taken control of four luxurious villas and 6.75 acres of land situated in Kerala's picturesque Munnar district. The assets, with a combined book value of Rs 2.53 crore, are registered under the name of Munnar Villa Vista Pvt Ltd.
The Enforcement Directorate initiated provisional attachment proceedings on January 7, a move that was subsequently endorsed by the adjudicating authority of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on June 30. This recent development enables the federal probe agency to officially seize ownership of the land and villas, as confirmed in a statement released on Saturday.
The ED's investigation revolves around allegations of money laundering tied to the Popular Front of India, which was banned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the prior year due to alleged links with terrorist activities. According to the ED's findings, leaders and members of the PFI who were connected to foreign entities were using a residential project named the Munnar Villa Vista Project (MVP) as a front to launder money obtained from both foreign sources and within the country.
The agency's probe uncovered a complex web of financial transactions, including the infusion of unaccounted cash into the project, questionable share subscriptions made in cash by unidentified entities, and suspicious transfers of shares among different companies with no genuine exchange of goods or services.
This money laundering case originates from an initial FIR (First Information Report) filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The FIR accused a group of PFI/SDPI (Socialist Democratic Party of India) activists of engaging in a criminal conspiracy to train their members in the use of explosives and weapons. The activities also allegedly included the organization of a "terrorist camp" in Narath, Kannur.
The Popular Front of India, which had its roots in Kerala and maintained its headquarters in Delhi, was established in 2006. Its involvement in alleged terror-linked activities led to its ban last year under the UAPA. The ED's efforts to uncover the complex money laundering operation behind a seemingly innocent residential project shed light on the multifaceted challenges of combating financial crimes and terrorism in the country.
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