Pak family living in India under ‘Sharma’ identity for 10 yrs held in Bengaluru

A constabulary squad connected Sunday arrived to apprehension the accused conscionable arsenic the Siddiqui household was packing up to permission the place. Upon questioning, Siddiqui who identified himself arsenic Sharma said helium had been surviving successful Bengaluru from 2018, and produced the family’s Indian passports and Aadhaar cards wherever they had Hindu names. To the astonishment of the police, erstwhile they entered the location they recovered ‘MEHDI FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL JASHAN-E-YOUNUS’ written connected the wall. Investigators besides recovered photos of Islamic clerics.

When questioned further, Siddiqui alias Shankar Sharma confessed they were from Pakistan—that was from Liaquatabad successful Karachi and his woman and her household were from Lahore. He explained that helium joined Ayesha successful an online ceremonial successful 2011 erstwhile she was successful Bangladesh with her parents. However, helium was forced to displacement from Pakistan to Bangladesh aft spiritual leaders were being persecuted successful his country.

As per the FIR, helium shifted to Bangladesh wherever helium served arsenic a preacher and Mehdi instauration covered his expenses.

But successful 2014, Siddiqui was again nether onslaught successful Bangladesh and helium contacted a antheral named Parvez from Mehdi instauration successful India, and shifted to India illegally.

Siddiqui, on with his wife, parents-in-law and relatives Zainabi Noor and Mohammed Yasin crossed implicit to India from Bangladesh via Malda successful West Bengal done agents.

According to a constabulary officer, they initially lived successful Delhi and procured duplicate Aadhaar cards, passports and driving licences nether a caller individuality arsenic the ‘Sharma’ family. Siddiqui preached connected behalf of Mehdi Foundation successful Delhi.

After gathering Wasim and Altaf, some Bengaluru residents, successful 2018 during a Nepal visit, Siddiqui decided to determination to Bengaluru erstwhile they asked him to preach successful the city. While Altaf took attraction of the rent, the Mehdi instauration paid him for his shows connected Alra TV wherever helium preached Islam. Siddiqui’s in-laws had besides opened slope accounts successful Bengaluru. Apart from this, Siddiqui besides supplied oils to garages and sold nutrient items.

A lawsuit has been registered nether sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for the intent of cheating) and 471 (using arsenic genuine a forged papers oregon physics grounds of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and nether sections of Passport Act.

What is Mehdi Foundation International?

Mehdi Foundation International is an organisation that promotes the ideas of Younus AlGohar, who is considered to beryllium a spiritual teacher and a staunch promoter of Sufism. He reportedly preaches spiritual harmony and bid and is against spiritual extremism. The organisation besides engages successful de-radicalising Muslim younker by promoting Sufism. However, successful galore Muslim countries, including Pakistan, members of Mehdi Foundation person faced spiritual persecution. Alra TV is simply a YouTube transmission that advocates Sufism.