Police urge Askoi victims to come forward

The Police has asked the people who got swindled by Askoi after paying for their Umrah services to report the case.

Police said that it has come to their attention concerning the case of Askoi Travel Service, a company that was fined last May for not taking people to Umrah after charging them large sums of money.

The Economic Crime Investigation Department is investigating the case while consulting with the relevant authorities.

Police are urging anyone who has been a victim Askoi to report the case by calling the Economic Crime Investigation Department at 9790048 or by going to the Criminal Investigation Building in Henveiru.

Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed stated in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) yesterday said that it has come to the Ministry's attention that there is information the Askoi company is charging people for Umrah and not leaving on the scheduled date.

The case will be reported to the police and action will be taken according to the guidelines, he said then.

Askoi Travel Service got their license from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in 2023 to bring people from Maldives to Umrah. According to the registry of companies, the owners of Askoi Travel Service Pvt Ltd are Abdullah Rasheed and Ahmed Sanil.

A person who fell victim to Askoi said in a Facebook post that they had taken money in advance to go for Umrah and was told they could not go for Umrah a week before the scheduled date of departure.

According to the post, 28 people from Sh. Foakaidhoo were to go for Umrah. Each of them paid MVR 25,500 to the agency this past February for their Umrah services.

The Islamic Ministry had taken action against Askoi this past May for swindling a family of six in the same fashion. The family had wanted to go to Umrah within the last 15 days of Ramadan, including the six optional days of fasting in the month of Shawwal, with all their expenses having been paid to the agency on 24th January 2025.