Saudi Arabia imposes temporary visa ban for several countries including India; Check full list here
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has introduced new travel restrictions, temporarily suspending the issuance of Umrah, business, and family visit visas to citizens of several countries, including India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
The ban, which is expected to last until mid-June, aims to manage crowd control and prevent unregistered pilgrims from entering the kingdom using alternative visa categories to perform Hajj without official authorisation.
The countries affected by this visa suspension include Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has reportedly instructed authorities to strengthen visa regulations as part of this initiative. As part of the revised rules, the deadline for applying for an Umrah visa this year is set for April 13, 2025. No new Umrah visas will be issued until after the Hajj pilgrimage concludes.
Saudi authorities have also launched a digital Hajj and Umrah guide in sixteen languages to help and educate pilgrims about safe and legal pilgrimage practices. Those found staying illegally during the Hajj season will reportedly face a five-year ban from entering Saudi Arabia, along with a fine of SAR 10,000.
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Kasaragod: ED books Kunhahmed Musliyar Memorial Trust for FCRA violation
New Delhi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate has registered a forex violation case against a Kerala-based charitable organisation for receiving Rs 220 crore from abroad in alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
The investigation pertains to Kunhahmed Musliyar Memorial Trust located in Kasargod and its chairman Ibrahim Ahmad Ali, an NRI.
Searches were conducted under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) at two locations in Kasargod on Thursday in connection with the case, the ED said in a statement.
The Trust, according to the ED, received more than Rs 220 crore since 2021 from Ibrahim Ahmad Ali, which was reflected in the books of accounts as "unsecured" loans.
However, no loan agreement, interest rate terms, or repayment schedule were available, and no repayment had been made till date, the probe agency said.
The probe found that these funds were received by Ali from a UAE company named Universal Lubricants LLC.
In the absence of supporting documents and in view of the clarification given under a section of the FCRA, the said loan prima facie qualified as "foreign contribution" under FCRA, the statement said.
According to the ED, the Trust is "not registered" under the FCRA and does not possess the "mandatory permission" or a designated FCRA bank account to receive foreign contributions.
It was found that a part of these foreign contributions was "utilised" for the purchase of agricultural land in India, in violation of the existing regulations.
The search action found that the Trust received Rs 2.49 crore in "cash" from Ali in violation of FEMA provisions.
"During the search, incriminating documents, ledger accounts showing unsecured loans of Rs 220 crore, the cash book of the Trust, and a hard disk containing financial data were seized," the ED said.
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