Crores transferred from Gulf nations to Tablighi Jamaat members' bank accounts, Delhi Police tells Enforcement Directorate

As per the investigative agency, those involved in these transactions, are associated with Nizamuddin Markaz and are close to Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad.

PTI photo

New Delhi: In a major breakthrough, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police probing the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz funding learnt that crores of rupees have been transacted from Gulf countries into the bank accounts of people associated with Nizamuddin Markaz. According to the investigative agency, money was both sent and received between Gulf nations and these account holders.

The Crime Branch submitted all the information related to transactions to the Enforcement Directorate on Friday (May 1). It revealed that those involved in these transactions, are associated with Nizamuddin Markaz and are close to Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad. 

However, the agency stated that names of Saad's three sons and his nephew, who enjoy a key position at the Markaz and are liable for the financial accounts of the Tablighi Jamaat, are not involved in the list of those who were involved in these transactions.

Earlier, the agency had suspected Maulana Saad of collecting assets and properties worth Rs 2 crore from international funding. The recent raid by the Crime Branch team on Saad's Kandhala (Shamli) farmhouse was conducted in a bid to recover documents related to the funding of his properties. 

The Enforcement Directorate is planning to look into whether donation received by Markaz was part of money laundering and whether hawala channels were utilised. 

Earlier in the day, Saad's lawyer Advocate Fuzail Ayyubi said in a statement that the Tablighi Jamaat chief in the last few days has replied to several questions of Crime Branch. Ayyubi added that the Crime Branch had also sought a few documents from Saad which have been handed over to the officials. 

The Tablighi Jamaat Markaz, an Islamic organisation, has come under the scanner for flouting the nationwide lockdown to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus.

A case has been registered against Maulana Saad of the Nizamuddin headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat under relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act and Indian Penal Code for allegedly violating government orders with regard to the management of the centre pertaining to holding social, political or religious gatherings.