Surat: As per the new details emerging in the gold smuggling case of Surat, a Muslim cleric was getting a 25 percent commission from smuggling activity. Maulvi had sent 30 carriers to Dubai in just the last seven months for gold smuggling.

Surat City Special Operation Group(SOG) police team conducted a search operation at Maulvi’s Mosali-based house. Maulvi Abdul Bemat has been in gold smuggling for the last two and a half years. He got his passport in 2016. He is a migrant from Maharashtra.

He worked in Jamiyar Islamia Madresa in Akkalkuva in Maharashtra from 2003 to 2017. He also worked at Chhatrati Sambhajinagar-based Markaze Islami madresa after 2017. After Covid19 lockdown he is staying at Mosali with his wife and daughter. He is involved in farming and chicken farm activities.

Maulvi has visited Dubai around 8 times. He was in contact with South Africa-based Shaukat and Dubai-based Shehzad. In 7 months as many as 30 carriers were sent to Dubai for smuggling of gold.

The profit out of smuggling of 1 kg gold was around Rs. 10 lakh. Police are looking into call details, WhatsApp chats, bank accounts, and other details. Vadodara-based Faisal Andul Sattar Meman’s name has also emerged in this case.

Police have so far arrested carrier Naeem Mohammadhanif Saleh(29), his wife Umaima(25), Abdul Faruk Bemat(33), and his aide Firoz Ibrahim Noor(48) in this case. Police recovered 927 grams of gold powder worth Rs. 64.89 lakh. DeshGujarat