Syrian gang busted in Ahmedabad for fake Gaza fund scam

A Syrian gang, posing as victims from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and fraudulently seeking donations from mosques, was busted by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Saturday (August 23).

According to media reports, the gang comprised four Syrian nationals, out of whom the prime accused, Ali Meghat Azhagar, has been arrested. Police said that Azhagar entered India with a tourist visa. They further revealed that three accomplices of the main accused are absconding, and a search is on to track them down.

Led a lavish lifestyle

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch stated that the Syrian gang was using the money it extorted from mosques to lead a lavish lifestyle. They said that the accused were violating visa rules and were involved in suspicious activities.

According to an ANI report, the Crime Branch had said that such activities pose a serious threat to the internal security of the country.

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Central, state agencies probing

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch said that the case was being investigated by state and central agencies, adding that an investigation has started to find out for what purpose the collected money was being used.

"A member of a Syrian gang was detained for raising money from mosques in the name of Gaza victims. Three of his accomplices are absconding," the crime branch said in a release.

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Entered India with tourist visa

According to the Crime Branch, the accused had travelled to India on tourist visas and were indulging in acts that violated the country's tourist visa rules.

During interrogation, the arrested accused revealed that the gang was raising money to fund their lavish lifestyle, it stated.

Police said that the arrested Syrian national has been detained and blacklisted, adding that the procedure to deport him has been initiated.

(With agency inputs)