News Tamil Nadu

ED Arrests SDPI Member Wahidur Rahman In Mettupalayam Under PMLA Act

March 21, 2025
The Commune

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Wahidur Rahman, a 28-year-old member of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), in Mettupalayam on 20 March 2025 and took him to New Delhi for further investigation.

According to reports, ED officials began searching Rahman’s residence at around 12:15 PM, with the search continuing until 6:00 PM. During the search, several documents were seized, and Rahman was subsequently arrested. He was then flown to New Delhi that night for further questioning.

As the ED operation was underway, SDPI leaders and supporters gathered outside Rahman’s house, protesting against the central government and raising slogans. It is noteworthy that Rahman had previously been arrested in 2022 for throwing a petrol bomb at a building after the government banned the Popular Front of India (PFI), but he was released on conditional bail.

Backdrop

This arrest comes under the backdrop of Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducting multiple searches across states since 20 March 2025, as part of its money laundering investigation against the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the banned terrorist organization Popular Front of India (PFI).

Raids were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at various locations, including Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, Arcot, and Vellore in Tamil Nadu; Bhilwara and Kota in Rajasthan; Kolkata in West Bengal; and Kottayam and Palakkad districts in Kerala.

In Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, the ED searched two locations, one of which was linked to an SDPI party member, following suspicions of large-scale money laundering. One of the individuals under scrutiny was Rajik, a resident of Annaji Rao Road Extension in Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, who operates an iron shop and serves as the Coimbatore North District Secretary of SDPI. ED officials, assisted by CRPF personnel, are currently conducting searches at his residence. Similarly, the agency is investigating the residence of Reela, who owns a fruit shop near the Mettupalayam bus stand.

These raids follow the recent arrest of SDPI president Moideen Kutty K, also known as MK Faizy, on 3 March at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Authorities claim that SDPI continues to advance the ideology of the banned PFI and receives funding from it.

SDPI – A Front For PFI?

The central government banned PFI and eight associated organizations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on 28 September 2022, citing concerns over radicalization and terror financing. The crackdown, led by the ED and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in multiple arrests and the seizure of alleged incriminating materials. The government claimed that PFI, with a significant presence in Kerala, was involved in activities that posed a threat to national security.

Founded in 2009 and registered as a political party with the Election Commission of India, SDPI has been accused by the ED of functioning as a front for PFI. The agency alleges that SDPI was both funded and controlled by PFI, with a strong interconnection between the two organizations. ED claims that PFI played a direct role in SDPI’s operations, including policymaking, election campaigns, public outreach, and mobilizing cadres.

According to the ED, SDPI served as a cover for PFI’s alleged anti-national activities while outwardly presenting itself as a social welfare organization. The investigation is ongoing, with officials examining financial links and organizational overlaps between SDPI and PFI.

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