NEW DELHI: More than Rs 2.21 crore has been found from the bank accounts of Popular Front leader Rauf Sharif, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. The ED found the money in three accounts of Rauf, who is also the national general secretary of the PFI (Campus Front). Of this, Rs 31 lakh came from foreign countries, according to ED officials.

Earlier, it was reported that Rauf was an activist of the banned organization SIMI. Rauf was arrested by the ED on Saturday from Thiruvananthapuram airport. Rauf, an accused in a case registered by the Lucknow police for violating the Foreign Exchange Act, had gone abroad.

Following this, the police issued a look-out notice. Rauf was then taken into custody by immigration officials from Muscat. It was reported that SDPI activists came out in protest when the ED raided the house of Rauf, a native of Anchal, Kollam.

The ED said Rauf's account had received money from Gulf countries such as Qatar and Oman, and that a notice had been issued seeking information in this regard. Meanwhile, the remand report of the investigating agency also mentions the name of journalist Siddique Kappan. According to ED, Siddiqui Kappan went to Hathras on Rauf's instructions and paid for it.