Unani doctor collected Rs 90 lakh in Gaza relief scam; ATS traces foreign transfers

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has uncovered a shocking fraud involving a Unani doctor from Kiradpura, who allegedly raised nearly Rs 90 lakh under the guise of Gaza relief. Investigations revealed that part of the money Rs 10.24 lakh was transferred abroad through a foreign website.

The accused, identified as Syed Babar Ali (Badam Galli, Kiradpura), holds a diploma in Unani medicine. Following ATS findings, the City Chowk police registered a fraud case against him. During routine checks on NGOs and charitable bodies, ATS officers found that Imam Ahmed Raza Foundation, the organization under which the collections were made, was not registered with the Charity Commissioner. Despite this, QR codes linked to the foundation were circulated on social media, urging donations for Palestine and Gaza. Further inquiries showed that Babar also runs another Mumbai-based entity Raza Empowerment Foundation which too lacks permission to collect funds for foreign causes. ATS found multiple fundraising videos uploaded by Babar on YouTube and social media platforms appealing for Gaza aid.

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Personal account used for collections

Babar allegedly shared his personal bank QR code to receive the donations. Between July 4 and October 6, 2024, his account received over Rs 90.99 lakhs. Once this was traced, ATS lodged a complaint at City Chowk Police Station and issued Babar a notice before releasing him. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), led by police inspector Sambhaji Pawar, is now handling the probe.

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Foreign transfers under scrutiny

Investigators discovered that Rs 10.24 lakh of the total funds was transferred through gofundme.com, a foreign-based crowdfunding site. ATS and central agencies are now verifying whether the platform was genuinely linked to Gaza relief or used for other purposes. This revelation comes amid ongoing probes into benami foreign transactions tied to the Delhi blasts, raising concern among central intelligence units. Officials confirmed that ATS has shared relevant documents with national authorities to trace Babar’s possible foreign links and financial network behind the operation.