Maharashtra ATS freezes accounts of ‘Gulzar-E-Raza’ over suspected foreign funding

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic

The Maharashtra government has informed the State Legislative Council that the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has seized the bank accounts of an organisation identified as "Gulzar-E-Raza" over suspected foreign funding and financial irregularities.

CM flags suspicious transactions

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the House that the organisation had received approximately Rs 4 crore through donations. He said preliminary findings suggest that some of these funds originated from suspicious foreign accounts.

"Since the investigating agency believes that the funds received are from foreign and suspicious accounts, the ATS has seized the bank accounts," Fadnavis said.

Allegations of financial fraud

The organisation is accused of operating under the guise of religious activities while allegedly collecting large sums of money from the public. It is suspected of using forged or misleading documents to obtain financial clearances from banks and to mislead the Income Tax Department.

The allegations have raised concerns over potential financial fraud and misuse of public trust. Investigators are now examining the organisation's financial transactions, documentation, and compliance with regulatory norms.