The Maldives Police Service has requested the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) to file charges against individuals and companies accused of defrauding over MVR 500,000 from people under the guise of facilitating Umrah pilgrimages.
According to a statement released on Saturday, police submitted a chargesheet on January 19 against Al-Mashar Pvt Ltd, alleging the company collected payments from 27 individuals last year without delivering the promised services. The prosecution request also includes the owner of Al-Mashar Pvt Ltd, Ali Fareesh, along with Tria Pvt Ltd and Halftone Maldives Pvt Ltd.
This case comes in the wake of another incident last month, where 23 individuals were stranded in Mecca due to a lack of return tickets after travelling for Umrah through a group called Al-Hijra. In addition, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs is investigating a separate case involving a group that withdrew funds in US dollars from the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) to facilitate Umrah pilgrimages but failed to carry out the arrangements.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has reported widespread violations in the management of Umrah pilgrimages. Last year, 19 companies were found to have breached regulations, resulting in fines of MVR 5,000 each. Under existing rules, companies found in violation of pilgrimage regulations can face fines ranging from MVR 1,000 to MVR 1 million. The Ministry also holds the authority to suspend or revoke permits.
Authorities are urging vigilance among the public when selecting service providers for religious travel to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes.
