The Maldives Police Service has formally requested the Prosecutor General’s Office to press criminal charges against the owner of Mash’ar Hajj & Umrah for allegedly embezzling over MVR 500,000 from multiple pilgrims.

In a statement issued on January 19, police confirmed they had sought legal action against Al-Mash’ar Pvt Ltd, accusing the company of defrauding 27 individuals of funds exceeding MVR 500,000. The money was reportedly collected in 2024 under the pretext of arranging transportation for Umrah.

The investigation has identified the primary suspect as Ali Farish, the owner of Al-Mash’ar Pvt Ltd, who resides at M. Haveeree Fini. In addition to charges against Al-Mash’ar, police have also called for legal action against two other companies— Tria Pvt Ltd and Halftone Pvt Ltd —allegedly implicated in similar fraudulent schemes.

The case originated from a complaint lodged by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs on April 17, 2024. The Ministry accused Al-Mash’ar Pvt Ltd of violating regulations governing Umrah travel. The complaint also highlighted that the company had failed to obtain the necessary permissions required to organise such trips.

Subsequent investigations conducted by the Ministry uncovered evidence suggesting the company had fraudulently collected significant sums of money from individuals by promising travel arrangements that were never delivered. This alleged scheme had also left victims stranded, causing substantial financial losses and considerable emotional distress.