The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has exposed a gang involved in fraud under the pretext of helping Gaza war victims. Three youths from Maharashtra have been arrested and sent to jail. They are accused of collecting nearly ₹2 crore from people across 20 states, while pocketing a major portion of the amount themselves.
Extortion in the Name of Gaza Victims
According to the ATS, the accused ran campaigns on social media platforms in the name of helping women and children affected by the Gaza war. They shared emotional posts and videos on Instagram and WhatsApp groups to appeal for donations. Using this tactic, they tricked people from several states, including Uttar Pradesh, and collected crores of rupees.
False Promise of Helping Women and Children
The arrested accused claimed that the funds would be used to provide food, clothes, and medicines to the needy. However, the investigation revealed that a significant portion of the money never reached the actual victims. The ATS is now tracing the misuse of funds and mapping the entire network.
Three Accused Arrested from Maharashtra
The arrested youths have been identified as Mohammad Ayaan from Bhiwandi, Abu Sufiyan, and Zaid Notiyar from Thane. Ayaan is said to be the mastermind, while the other two worked at a local warehouse. The ATS arrested them from Bhiwandi on September 20 and brought them to Lucknow on transit remand. They are now in judicial custody.
Suspicious Transactions in Bank Accounts
The investigation revealed that the accused opened multiple bank accounts for crowdfunding. When large amounts were suddenly deposited, bank officials grew suspicious and froze some transactions. Despite this, the accused opened new accounts in different banks and also transferred funds through PayPal. It is suspected that a significant portion of the money was diverted to suspicious foreign accounts.
₹2 Crore Collected, ₹15 Lakh Sent to Platform
So far, the probe has found that the accused raised nearly ₹2 crore. Of this, about ₹15 lakh went to the crowdfunding platform, while the rest was withdrawn from bank accounts and deposited into suspicious accounts. The ATS suspects that the money could also be linked to terror funding.
60 People from UP Among Victims
Sources said that nearly 60 people from Uttar Pradesh alone fell victim to this scam, along with people from 20 other states. Multiple complaints from victims eventually brought the case to the ATS.
ATS Investigation Ongoing
The ATS is now trying to track where the embezzled ₹1.8 crore was sent. Investigators are also probing the accused’s foreign links, including a suspicious individual from Europe.
