Head of Maleesha transferred to house arrest

Head of Maleesha Hajj and Umra Service, Ismail Abdul Latheef, who fraudulently collected funds from Hajj pilgrims earlier this year, has been transferred to house arrest.

Police Media Official Hassan Haneef said that he was transferred to house arrest about two days ago.

Abdul Latheef was arrested at Mount Lavinia Hotel in Sri Lanka on the night of 21 November 2012. Interpol had also issued a red notice in search of Abdul Latheef.

Abdul Latheef swindled 175 people out of MVR68,000 each, thereby collecting a total of MVR11.9 million.

Ministry of Islamic Affairs has informed that Maleesha Group took pilgrims to Hajj last year, but did not pay for the pilgrims’ hotel in Saudi Arabia.

Islamic Ministry revoked the Group’s permit to take people to Hajj when it failed to pay the hotel bills of MVR573,848 after being notified to do so repeatedly.

The government has promised to facilitate Hajj pilgrimage next year for the people deceived by Maleesha this year.