A court here has framed charges against jailed Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan and six other people in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case.
The Special Judge of Enforcement Directorate (ED) matters Sanjay Shankar Pandey asked the federal agency to produce its witnesses before the court, on December 17.
Besides Mr. Kappan, the other accused in the case are K. A. Rauf Sherif, Atikur Rahman, Masud Ahmad, Mohammad Alam, Abdul Razzak and Ashraf Khadir.
The ED had booked Mr. Kappan in the PMLA case for allegedly obtaining money from a foreign country illegally, and utilising it in acts against the interest of the nation.
Mr. Kappan was arrested along with three others on October 6, 2020 while on their way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, to report on the alleged gang rape and killing of a 19-year-old woman. He has been in jail since then.
The police had initially booked the journalist for offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Subsequently, the ED also lodged a case against him under the anti-money-laundering law.
The Central agency has charged Mr. Kappan, Mr. Rahman, Mr. Ahmed and Mr. Alam of receiving money from the now-banned Popular Front of India to "incite riots".
Mr. Rahman is the national treasurer of the Campus Front of India, a student body of the PFI. Mr. Ahmed is the general secretary of the Campus Front of India's Delhi unit, while Mr. Alam is a member of the outfit as well as the PFI.
Mr. Sherif, the national general secretary of the Campus Front of India, had funded their trip to Hathras, the Enforcement Directorate has claimed.
