Gujarat Police have apprehended three Syrian nationals accused of orchestrating a deceptive scheme to collect funds from mosques in Gujarat under the pretense of aiding Gaza war victims. The trio, identified as Zakaria Haitham Al-Zaher (34), Ahmed Ohad Alhabash (27), and Yusuf Khalid Al-Zaher (27), allegedly squandered the donations on lavish expenditures, violating the trust of generous donors.

The scam came to light when the Ahmedabad crime branch detained a fourth member of the group, Ali Meghat Al-Azhar, on August 22. Al-Azhar’s interrogation exposed the gang’s operations, leading to a Look Out Circular (LOC) being issued against the remaining three. The absconding trio was nabbed by immigration authorities at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport days ago as they attempted to board a Dubai-bound flight, reportedly planning to escape to Syria. A team from the Ahmedabad crime branch traveled to Delhi on Saturday to take the suspects into custody.

According to the crime branch, the group entered India on August 8 with tourist visas but flouted regulations by engaging in fraudulent activities. Posing as Gaza residents, they approached mosques in Ahmedabad, particularly in the Shah-E-Alam area, where they stayed for nearly two weeks. They fabricated stories about needing funds to treat their parents, who they claimed were victims of the Gaza conflict. Their emotional appeals convinced some mosques to donate, but the funds—amounting to USD 2,985 recovered from the accused—were misused for personal luxury.

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After collecting money in Ahmedabad, the group moved to Delhi, where they stayed at a hotel. However, their attempts to solicit funds from mosques in the capital were unsuccessful, with no mosques falling for their ploy. The crime branch’s swift action, aided by Al-Azhar’s passport details, ensured the trio could not flee the country.

The accused now face charges for visa violations and fraud. The Ahmedabad crime branch has initiated procedures to blacklist and deport them, ensuring they face consequences for exploiting religious sentiments and misusing charitable donations meant for a humanitarian cause.

This incident has raised concerns about the vulnerability of religious institutions to such scams, prompting calls for stricter oversight of donation drives. The investigation continues to uncover the full extent of the group’s activities and whether similar schemes were attempted elsewhere in India.

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