On April 12, Bijnor Police arrested a person identified as Mohammed Faizi. He had absconded after duping customers of the Muslim faith of crores of rupees in the name of a ‘Sharia-compliant Muslim Fund’ named Al-Faizan Muslim Trust.
In a statement, Nagina Police Station in-charge Sumit Shukla said, “In January, a complaint was received against the accused that he ran away after taking money from customers in the name of Al-Faizan Muslim Trust. The main accused who was running the trust returned from Saudi Arabia yesterday at Jaipur Airport.”
थाना नगीना पुलिस द्वारा मुस्लिम फंड चलाकर करोड़ों रूपये का गबन करने वाला मुख्य अभियुक्त फैजी की गिरफ्तारी के सम्बन्ध में क्षेत्राधिकारी नगीना की बाइट।#UPPoolice#GoodWorkUPP https://t.co/qQforpojgG pic.twitter.com/UqspZbjO9u
— Bijnor Police (@bijnorpolice) April 12, 2022
He added, “There was a lookout notice issued by us against him. He was apprehended at the Jaipur airport by the security agencies. They informed us about his arrival and arrest. He was then brought to Bijnor in the morning. He is being booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.” He further said his sister and two more members were involved in the scam. One of the members of the trust has already been sent to jail. The police are trying to arrest the rest of the accused.
The ‘Muslim Fund’ Scam
In January this year, it was reported that hundreds of Muslims had been duped by a private “bank” that promised to keep their money secure. The chief accused Faizi had fled to Saudi Arabia. According to the authorities, hundreds of locals in the Nagina region of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh had lost money they had placed with ‘Al Faizan Muslim Fund Limited,’ a facility privately held by Mohammed Faizi for Muslims to keep their money secure as per Sharia rules.
The trust has been operational for the last five years. He had hired agents to increase the number of customers at his “bank”. Within one week after he fled with the money and jewellery deposited in the bank, over 170 police complaints were filed against him. Notably, the majority of his clients were small vendors who deposited their hard-earned money in his bank as it was Sharia-compliant. As per Sharia, earning interest on money deposited in the bank is Haram.
