ED probes PFI's alleged links with AAP, Congress, Bhim Army

The intrigue around the continuing protests against the Citizenship (Amendment ) Act in Shaheen Bagh in Delhi has deepened ahead of the assembly polls with the Enforcement Directorate probing alleged links between the Popular Front of India, the Aam Aadmi Party and some Congress leaders as well as the Bhim Army. The anti-money laundering agency is looking into the funding of the Kerala-based organisation whose state president Pervez Ahmed has been questioned by sleuths.

The intelligence agencies in the last few months have been probing the political links to the ongoing anti-CAA protests in different parts of the country, including Uttar Pradesh where some PFI members have faced police crackdown . The ED has questioned Ahmed about his alleged links with certain political leaders and activists, whether there was any funding from political parties and whether he was in contact with the Bhim Army or its leaders. 

The case only gets curious as Ahmed is learnt to have told the ED that the PFI is opposing the CAA in a peaceful and democratic manner. He is also learnt to have told the ED sleuths that his close associates had participated in the protests and at one instance, a gathering of 50-60 people of the locality of Shaheen Bagh were called by the magistrate at Amar Colony to sign a bond of Rs 10,000 for maintaining peace. He is learnt to have told the ED that they appeared on February 4 with around 15 people and no undertaking was taken by the magistrate and they were asked to file their reply. 

While Ahmed claimed the PFI maintains relations with social workers and political leaders since the organisation ''strives for the betterment of the society'', the ED smells a conspiracy.

According to ED sources, Ahmed is learnt to have told the sleuths that he had once met Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party to introduce him to their activities. He said a Congress leader had also allegedly contacted him to attend a function organised at Ram Leela Maidan but he could not attend it. 

Dismissing the allegation, Sanjay Singh termed it a ''political conspiracy '' by the BJP ahead of the Delhi elections. "Just wait, there are three days left for the Delhi Assembly elections. Let us see what else the Bharatiya Janata Party has to say," he told reporters.

The ED is also probing whether there were any links between the PFI and the Bhim Army as it claimed to have found material to suggest that the PFI leader was added to the Bhim Army WhatsApp group but he remained a passive member there. 

The ED probe is trying to join the dots even as the PFI has dismissed allegations of any political linkages and funding used to fuel protests or unrest. 

ED sources said donations and other funds are collected by members of the PFI, which includes formal banking channels, internet transactions as well as cash inflows. Investigators are probing how this inflow of money was allegedly partly deposited in the bank and portion of it was allegedly sent to the office in Shaheen Bagh.