In a shocking revelation, India’s Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (UP ATS) has arrested an Islamist named Abu Saleh Mandol, a resident of Swarupnagar in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, on charges of bringing Rohingyas into India using funds totaling BDT 580 million received from abroad. The accused allegedly received the significant amount as a grant from Ummah International, a London-based organization, between 2018 and 2022. This disturbing revelation sheds light on the illicit practices applied by Islamist culprits in illegally bringing-in Rohingya Muslims into India thus ringing alarm about country’s national security and the misuse of foreign funds.
Modus operandi of Islamist Abu Saleh
According to the UP ATS, Abu Saleh Mandol utilized the funds ostensibly intended for NGOs supporting services and education to settle Rohingyas in India. The accused allegedly provided financial assistance to bring Rohingya Muslims to India, facilitating the production of documents like Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and voter IDs as proof of Indian citizenship. His alleged involvement in the distribution of funds through hawala channels adds another layer of complexity to the case, indicating a deliberate attempt to obscure financial transactions.
Investigations reveal that Abu Saleh Mandol, head of two organizations-‘Kabir Bagh Millat Academy’ in North 24 Parganas and ‘Al Jamiatul Islamia Darul Uloom Madrasah’ in Harwa – received substantial foreign grants under the guise of running educational institutions. The accused purportedly diverted these funds for activities contrary to the objectives stated while obtaining the grants. Furthermore, Abu Saleh allegedly operated two companies namely – ‘Gazi Food Sallai’ and ‘Gazi Machinery’, through which he reportedly amassed considerable funds from abroad. These organizations are now under scrutiny for their potential involvement in financial irregularities and the alleged Rohingya floodgate scandal.
Uttar Pradesh ATS investigators claim that Abu Saleh Mandol received substantial amounts of money from abroad through hawala transactions. This clandestine method of transferring funds not only raises concerns about money laundering but also suggests a deliberate attempt to avoid scrutiny. Additionally, Abu Saleh is accused of using fake documents associated with various scam organizations to collect money illicitly. The extent of his operations points to a sophisticated network involved in exploiting legal and financial loopholes for personal gain.
Abu Saleh Mandol’s alleged leadership in ‘Kabir Bagh Millat Academy’ and ‘Al Jamiatul Islamia Darul Uloom Madrasah’ adds a troubling dimension to the case. The accused reportedly used these institutions to garner foreign grants under the pretext of supporting educational initiatives. However, investigations indicate that Abu Saleh engaged in anti-national activities behind the façade of managing these organizations, raising questions about the authenticity of the educational mission and the true nature of the funds received.
The arrest of Abu Saleh Mandol is not an isolated incident in the saga of Rohingya floodgate to India. Earlier, UP ATS had exposed a network involved in bringing Rohingyas into the country, resulting in the arrest of several individuals in October and November last year. The interrogation of these detainees reportedly led investigators to Abu Saleh Mandol, further highlighting the complexity and interconnectivity of these illicit activities.
Abu Saleh Mandol’s arrest unravels a web of alleged financial irregularities, immigration scams, and misuse of foreign funds. The case brings to light the vulnerabilities in the system that unscrupulous individuals exploit for personal gain, jeopardizing national security and integrity. As investigations continue, authorities must delve deeper into the intricacies of the case to ensure accountability and prevent the recurrence of such activities in the future. The need for robust mechanisms to monitor the flow of foreign funds and tighten immigration controls is evident, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the nation against exploitation by those seeking to compromise its integrity.
It may be mentioned here that, a large segment of over 1.20 million Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh since 2017 are getting involved in numerous types of criminal activities, such as drugs and weapon trafficking while unknown number of these Myanmar Muslims are joining jihadist outfits such as Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), Ansar Al Islam (a franchise of Al Qaeda), Islamic State etcetera, while recently Qatar and Turkey are offering large sum of cash to Rohingyas in exchange for migrating to Gaza and join “jihad” against “Israel and Jews”. At the same time, Pakistani spy agency Inter-Service Intelligence and Qatari rulers are encouraging Rohingyas in joining various terrorist groups inside India and participate in jihadist acts.
