After ED raids across 10 states, ban on SDPI becomes a strong possibility; READ

synopsis

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its crackdown on the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) by conducting searches across 10 states, including Kerala. The possibility of banning SDPI has now gained momentum following the arrest of its national president, M.K. Faizy. After two days of questioning Faizy in ED custody, the agency carried out raids at 12 locations on Thursday (Mar 6). In Kerala, searches took place at the state committee office in Thiruvananthapuram and another office in Malappuram. Reacting to the raids, SDPI stated that such intimidation tactics would not be accepted.

Reports indicate that ED officials arrived at the Chennai and Kochi offices in taxis without informing the Kerala Police. Central security forces were deployed to ensure smooth operations during the searches. Along with Kerala, raids were conducted at SDPI’s national headquarters in Delhi and other locations, including Bengaluru, Thane, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Jaipur. Following the searches, SDPI workers staged protests in Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram, and Chennai.

Strongly condemning the raids, SDPI accused the BJP-led central government of taking undemocratic actions. In a report submitted to the court after M.K. Faizy’s arrest, ED claimed that SDPI and the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) are essentially the same. The agency further alleged that SDPI was established as part of PFI’s broader strategy to implement jihad in various forms. ED also stated that it had gathered more details regarding financial transactions between PFI and SDPI. Given the current developments, the possibility of more SDPI leaders being arrested in the coming days remains high.