Sisilfaru Hajj and Umra Group has filed a case against the Ministry of Islamic Affairs at the Civil Court, claiming that it had acted unfairly in choosing companies to send pilgrims on this year’s Hajj Pilgrimage.

RaajjeMV has obtained a copy of the documents filed at the court, which claims that the ministry had acted against the Public Finance Act when evaluating the 18 companies that had expressed interest, as well as against the instructions in the pamphlets given out.

After evaluation, six companies were given the license to carry pilgrims to Hajj this year. They are; Maldives Hajj Corporation, Acro Pvt Ltd, Mina Hajj Umrah Pvt Ltd, Al-Haramain Hajj and Umrah Company Pvt Ltd, ZAEE GROUP Pvt Ltd and Thazkiya Pvt Ltd.

Sisilfaru says that the information pamphlet notes that companies with experience in carrying pilgrims will get five percent in the evaluation, but that it was only given 0.7 percent despite having 35 years of experience.

Sisilfaru described the evaluations process as “a game” played by the ministry officials.

The company is also seeking a temporary injunction in the case, saying that it could suffer an irrevocable loss.

It highlighted that past experience had taught them to make certain arrangements in advance. Noting that this is the case this year as well, Sisilfaru said that not having the permission to carry pilgrims this year would be a huge loss for the company.

Ministry of Islamic Affairs is yet to comment on the matter.