The Popular Front of India, which was founded in 2006 as the successor to the National Development Front has repeatedly found itself under investigation about where and how it receives funding. 

Most recently, the organisation was accused by the ED of gaining funding from a Chinese national in Oman, according to an Economic Times report from June 2022. The central agency has accused PFI member and Campus Front of India national general secretary KA Rauf Sherif of receiving more than Rs 1 crore under the guise of trading. Further, the ED has alleged that PFI has set up district committees in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to seek funding, according to the Economic Times report. 

During the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests, the ED had the PFI in its sights, accusing them of money laundering. As part of its investigation, the central agency found that at least Rs 120 crore was deposited in 73 bank accounts that were related to the PFI. The funds were allegedly used to fund anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country. 

Similarly, back in 2010, the Communist Party of India State executive urged the central government to investigate where the organisation was getting its funding from in Kerala. 

The PFI has rubbished the allegations both now and in the past and said that they are false and untrue. 

At least 100 members, including top leaders of the Popular Front of India have been detained after the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and state police raided several locations across the country. 

PFI chairman O.M.A Salam was detained in Manjeri, Malappuram district, Kerala after his home was raided. His detainment led to protests from PFI supporters in the area as well as in other parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. So far, the raids have been conducted in at least 10 states including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Rajasthan.