Ahmedabad, 6 May 

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday launched multiple searches in Gujarat as part of a money laundering investigation linked to alleged financial irregularities in certain Waqf properties in the state, official sources said.

A case has been filed by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) taking cognisance of  Ahmedabad Police FIR field against one Salim Khan Jumma Khan Pathan, Mohammad Yasar Abdulhamiya Sheikh, Mehmud Khan Jumma Khan Pathan, Fezmohamad Pir Mohammad Chobdar, and Saheed Ahmad Yakubhai Sheikh.

They had "illegally" claimed to be trustees of the Kanch Ki Masjid Trust and Shah Bada Kasam Trust, the agency said.

About nine premises of the accused and their associates are being raided across Gujarat by the Ahmedabad zonal office of the agency, the sources said.

The accused entered into "fraud" lease agreements, extorted rents from tenants, and submitted false affidavits to the Waqf Board.

The ED, a federal probe agency, suspects that the accused built shops on Trust's land and collected rent and committed "fraud and conspiracy" against the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Waqf Board for personal gains.

The Centre has recently brought the Waqf Amendment Act, which it said will bring about transparency in Waqf operations and transactions. The opposition has called it unconstitutional.