ATS Freezes ₹4 Cr Trust Funds in Maharashtra

• ATS freezes bank accounts of Gulzar-E-Raza Trust over suspected irregularities
• ₹4 crore donations under scanner, possible foreign funding links
• Fake registrations and forged documents used to open bank accounts
• Four trustees booked, two arrested; probe into money trail continues

GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 18th March: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday informed the state legislature that the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has frozen the bank accounts of an organisation named Gulzar-E-Raza Trust over suspected foreign funding and financial irregularities.

The disclosure was made in the State Legislative Council, where Fadnavis said the action was based on credible intelligence inputs indicating suspicious financial inflows and possible violations of laws governing foreign contributions.

“Since the investigating agency believes that the funds received are from foreign and suspicious accounts, the ATS has seized the bank accounts,” he stated.

According to preliminary findings, the trust collected nearly ₹4 crore in donations, allegedly in the name of religious activities. Investigators suspect that a portion of these funds may have originated from foreign sources, raising concerns about compliance and misuse.

The probe has revealed that the Gulzar-E-Raza Trust was not registered under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act or with the state’s Commissioner of Charitable Endowments. Authorities allege that the organisation used forged documents, including fake registration certificates and bank compliance details, to open multiple accounts at a private bank branch in Latur.

Officials further stated that the trust misled statutory bodies, including the Income Tax Department, by submitting fabricated PAN details and registration numbers. In some cases, registration credentials of a legitimate trust were misused to create a false appearance of legality.

Earlier in January, ATS teams conducted raids in the Majalgaon area of Beed district, leading to the arrest of two key suspects and registration of cases against four trustees. The accused have been identified as Imran Kaleem Shaikh, Mujjammil Noor Sayyed, Ahmeduddin Kaiser Qazi, and Taufiq Javed Qazi.

Police investigations indicate that the group opened five bank accounts and deposited donations totalling ₹4.73 crore, allegedly diverting funds for personal use while projecting the entity as a religious charity.

Officials said the case is part of a larger investigation into financial irregularities and possible illegal funding networks, with further details expected as authorities trace the money trail and examine regulatory violations.