ED conducts searches in Ahmedabad in scam related to properties of two Waqfs

Ahmedabad, May 6 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches at nine locations in the city as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged scam related to Waqf properties, officials said.

The ED registered the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after Ahmedabad Police busted a scam where some men posed as trustees, constructed shops and houses on Waqf land, and collected rent for 17 years. The police arrested five persons on April 20 in connection with the scam.

The central agency took cognizance of the case and conducted raids at nine properties linked to main accused Salim Jummakhan Pathan and others, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Vani Dudhat here.

"As per the ED's request, we have provided 78 policemen for conducting searches," he told reporters.

The accused collected rent from nearly 100 houses and shops on land belonging to the Kaanch ni Masjid Trust and Shah Bada Kasam Trust, as per the First Information Report (FIR) for cheating and forgery registered at the Gaekwad Haveli police station. Both the trusts are registered with the Gujarat Waqf Board.

Between 2008 and 2025, Pathan and others allegedly carried out illegal construction over 5,000 square metres of land belonging to the two trusts, building around 100 properties (houses and shops), and collected rent.

The four other accused were identified as Mohammad Yasar Sheikh, Mahmoodkhan Pathan, Faiz Mohammad Chobdar, and Shahid Ahmed Sheikh.

Salim Jummakhan Pathan is a history-sheeter and faces five cases including one under the Arms Act, the city police had said earlier.

None of the accused was a member of any Waqf or trust, stated complainant Mohammad Rafiq Ansari, a tenant of properties built on the land belonging to the Kaanch ni Masjid Trust.

Besides collecting rent, the accused also claimed the money collected in the donation box of the Shah Bada Kasam Trust, the complaint said.

The accused allegedly constructed 15 shops on land belonging to the Kaanch ni Masjid Trust that had been allocated to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for an Urdu school.

The Centre recently brought the Waqf Amendment Act, which it said will bring about transparency in Waqf operations and transactions. PTI NES PJT PD DV KRK

Source: PTI