Ahmedabad fraud bust: Syrian man posed as Gaza sufferer to dupe mosques underneath pretext of serving to ravenous households, funds lavish life-style as a substitute | Ahmedabad Information

AHMEDABAD: A 23-year-old Syrian man was arrested from the town on Friday for allegedly posing as a citizen of Gaza and deceptive mosques in Gujarat into donating cash for the conflict victims there. The cash, gathered underneath the pretext of serving to ravenous households in Gaza, was as a substitute getting used to finance a lavish life-style, mentioned crime department officers.While the accused particular person, Ali Meghat Al-Azhar, was arrested from a resort within the Ellisbridge space, three of his accomplices managed to flee, mentioned police. The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have joined the probe to trace the cash path and set up whether or not the gang’s actions pose a risk to the nation’s inside safety. The fraud got here to mild following a tip-off a few group allegedly gathering giant sums of cash underneath false pretences. “Al-Azhar, a resident of Damascus, had arrived in India on a tourist visa on July 22, landing in Kolkata. He travelled to various states before arriving in Ahmedabad on Aug 2. He had checked into Hotel Regal Residency along with Zakaria Haitham Alzar, Ahmed Alhabash and Yousef Al-Zahar, all Syrians. The 23-year-old was nabbed with $3,600 and Rs 25,000 in cash. The police have issued a lookout notice for his three accomplices who went underground after the operation. We are also probing if the group was in the city for recce activities,” mentioned Sharad Singhal, joint commissioner of police (crime department). Following his arrest, Al-Azhar initially feigned ignorance of any language aside from Arabic however later mentioned that they had been utilizing the cash to dwell lavishly, mentioned a police officer. Explaining their modus operandi, Singhal mentioned, “The gang would approach mosques, play videos of starving families in Gaza, and appeal for donations in the name of humanitarian aid. But there is no evidence that any of the collected funds ever reached Gaza.” The crime department suspects the group could have come to Ahmedabad for reconnaissance functions too. “Prima facie, it appears they were here to do a recce and were in touch with suspicious people. Recovery of US dollars and evidence of digital transactions adds to this suspicion,” a senior crime department officer mentioned. CCTV footage is being scanned to hint their actions and contacts. The cops additional revealed that Al-Azhar bore scars on his chest, which he claimed had been from accidents sustained within the Gaza battle, however these claims are being verified. The group can be suspected of violating visa guidelines by indulging in prohibited actions whereas on vacationer visas. “Along with the ATS and NIA, we are trying to verify the authenticity of their passports. We also have leads that the group initially gathered in Lebanon before travelling to India,” the officer mentioned. Authorities have begun proceedings to blacklist and deport Al-Azhar. “Given the sensitive nature of their activities, central and state agencies are jointly working to ensure that such threats to internal security are thoroughly investigated,” the official added.