Ahmedabad, April 20 – In a major case of fraud involving religious trust property, five individuals have been arrested in Ahmedabad for allegedly posing as trustees and collecting rent from properties built on land registered under two Waqf Board trusts for over 17 years. As per agency report, the accused are charged with defrauding both the Waqf Board and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) while personally profiting from charitable property.
The complaint, filed at the Gaekwad Haveli police station, states that the accused falsely claimed to be trustees of Kanchani Masjid Trust and Shah Bada Qasam Trust, and collected monthly rent from nearly 100 houses and shops constructed on approximately 5,000 square meters of trust land. These structures were reportedly erected between 2008 and 2025.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Bharat Rathod stated that the accused misused the Waqf-registered properties for personal financial gain, leading to charges of fraud and forgery. Waqf properties are intended for religious or charitable purposes, and any income generated from them is typically used for community welfare and religious activities.
The individuals arrested have been identified as Salim Khan Pathan, Mohammad Yasar Sheikh, Mahmood Khan Pathan, Faiz Mohammad Chobdar, and Shahid Ahmed Sheikh. Among them, Salim Khan Pathan has a criminal history and is involved in five prior cases, including one under the Arms Act.
The complaint was filed by Mohammad Rafiq Ansari, a tenant on Kanchani Masjid Trust land, who alleged that none of the accused were legitimate members of either trust. He also accused them of misappropriating funds collected from donation boxes belonging to Shah Bada Qasam Trust and falsely claiming ownership over those funds.
The accused reportedly constructed 15 shops on Kanchani Masjid Trust land, which had earlier been allotted to the AMC for an Urdu school. After the school building was damaged in the 2001 earthquake, the AMC demolished it in 2009 and relocated it. During this time, the accused allegedly built ten shops in the area, one of which was used by Salim Khan as a personal office, while the others were rented out.
The complaint further notes that none of the rent collected was deposited into the official accounts of the trusts or handed over to the AMC, thereby constituting a clear case of financial fraud. Authorities continue to investigate the extent of the illegal earnings and the misuse of public trust property.
