New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS): A cleric of a mosque in northeast Delhi has been booked by the Delhi Police on charges of cheating over 40 people out of approximately Rs 40-50 crore.
A case has been filed against the cleric identified as Zamil Akhtar, his wife Ashma and two others and registered at the Economic Offences Wing Police Station, under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
As per the FIR accessed by IANS, the complainant, Riyazull Hasan Khan, revealed that Zamil Akhtar had been involved in the scrap business for an extended period. Akhtar would purportedly acquire scrap material from companies and subsequently sell it to wholesalers in various states.
Taking advantage of this front, Akhtar and his family allegedly persuaded Khan to invest money in the venture. Riyazull Hasan Khan, believing he was investing his hard-earned money in Akhtar's legitimate business, handed over Rs 9.5 lakh to the accused. In his complaint, Khan stated that Akhtar had previously been active in assisting the Muslim community during the northeast Delhi communal clashes.
Additionally, Akhtar presented himself as the General Secretary of the North East District of the esteemed Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, which contributed to Khan's lack of suspicion regarding Akhtar's intentions.
“Akthar and his associates used to influence the victims to sell their properties, take a loan from the bank. They told them that whatever funds they invested they would give a better profit to them. Due to these reasons the innocent persons of the local area believing the above said subjects and believing that they would get a good profit from the investment, gave their valuable funds to the above subjects,” read the FIR.
However, Akhtar and his associates were not running any business and in collusion with his associates he cheated and misappropriated the funds of the local residents, read the FIR.
A senior police officer said that after receiving similar complaints from Riyazull Khan and 43 other people, an FIR was registered and a probe is going on in the matter.