Amreli: A madrasa Maulana in the Himkhimdipara area of Dhari taluka, Amreli district, has been detained by the district’s Special Operations Group (SOG) over suspected links to foreign WhatsApp groups associated with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The man, identified as Mohammad Fazal Abdul Aziz Sheikh, a resident of Juhapura in Ahmedabad, was taken into custody on May 2 after failing to provide valid residential documents during a verification drive.
The SOG’s action came in the wake of heightened nationwide security following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives. During the investigation into illegal residents, SOG officials found that Sheikh had no valid identification or documents proving legal residence in the Amreli area. This prompted further questioning and a search of his mobile phone, which revealed his membership in seven WhatsApp groups operated out of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
According to sources, these groups contained multiple messages in Arabic and included members based in foreign territories. A preliminary translation of the chats was conducted, and it was found that many of the groups were administered from Pakistan. Authorities suspect the messages may involve communication that warrants further scrutiny for national security implications.
Following the discovery, the SOG decided to hand over Sheikh to the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for a deeper investigation. The cleric was transported to Ahmedabad, where he is now in ATS custody. His phone has been submitted for technical analysis to determine the content and context of the conversations in the groups.
Officials have also launched a probe into the legality of the madrasa’s operations and construction. Revenue department teams have begun examining land records, building permissions, and the history of the site to ensure it complies with regulatory standards.
Dhari ASP Jayveer Gadhvi confirmed the ongoing investigation, noting that passport and other documents have been recovered from the cleric, which are currently being verified. He added that further details regarding the cleric’s past activities, networks, and contacts in Pakistan and Afghanistan will be uncovered through ATS interrogation.