Victim: Patronage of clergy lured investors to Heera Group

Hyderabad: The names of certain ulema religious scholars have been mentioned in the context of the Heera Group investment scandal. One of the victims has told the police that he had made huge investments with the group based on the statements of the ulema.

The Heera Group allegedly lured investors with huge halal profits and gave the impression of having the patronage of ulema and theologians.

An investor, Mr Mohammed Abdul Majeed, whose statement was recorded by the Central Crime Station as a witness, said that he was inspired by the Islamic talks and halal trading in the name of Islamic Shariah by Ms Nowhera Shaikh, Moulana Arshad Basheer Madani, Mr Aqil from Jeddah, Moulana Meraj Rabbani of Uttar Pradesh, Moulana Jalaluddin Qasmi and Ms Shahnaz of Mumbai.

Mr Majeed said he had invested Rs 28 lakh with Heera Retail, Hyderabad Pvt Ltd and Rs 2.5 lakh in Heera Gold Exim Ltd. Ms Shaikh has allegedly collected huge amounts from Indians and from NRIs by establishing corporate offices there.

Mr Shahbaz Ahmed Khan, who formed an informal body called the Heera Victims Association, said many people had complained that they had trusted Ms Shaikh by seeing the galaxy of ulemas.

[source_without_link]DC[/source_without_link]