The Balrampur district administration on Tuesday demolished a lavish mansion belonging to Jalaluddin alias Chhangur alias Jhangur Baba, alleged mastermind of a mass illegal religious conversion racket. The demolition took place in Madhpur village under Utraula police station limits in Uttar Pradesh.
The mansion, spread across 3 bighas of land, was found to be illegally constructed on government property. A notice had been served on May 17 to present legal documents, but no one responded. As a result, officials moved in with bulldozers and began demolishing the estate, The Times of India reported.
Chhangur Baba and his associate Neetu alias Nasreen were arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) from a hotel in Lucknow on Saturday. They were initially accused of illegally converting at least 40 people in Balrampur, though officials believe the real number could be much higher.
As per TOI, both are believed to have been operating a large-scale religious conversion syndicate.
Massive demolition operation
On Tuesday morning, the district administration began its action with over 10 bulldozers and heavy police presence, including two companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). Senior officials, including District Magistrate Pawan Agarwal and Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar, monitored the demolition on the spot.
Structures identified as illegal included not just the mansion but also an unauthorised college, hospital, and madrassa, all allegedly constructed without approval on public land.
Inside the mansion
According to the TOI report, the mansion featured expensive imported tiles and furniture, a massive kitchen, plush interiors, 10 CCTV cameras, a private driveway, and a 500-meter-long electrified wall. Despite using powerful bulldozers, the strong structure took hours to break, and the operation extended into Wednesday, with the final demolition phase scheduled for Thursday.
Tehsildar Rajendra Bahadur confirmed that 1,500 sq ft of the unauthorised construction had already been razed, with 500 sq ft more to go. A mini power station, high-end bathroom fittings, and even a horse and six German Shepherds were found on the property.
From trader to ‘pir’
Originally from Rehra Mafi, Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba was living in Madhpur village of Utraula for over a decade. Once a petty gemstone and ring seller who frequented Mumbai's Haji Ali Dargah, Chhangur's fortunes rose dramatically around 2020.
Locals say he transformed from a trader to a self-styled 'pir' and spiritual guide with a sudden rise in wealth and status. His name surfaced when Mumbai-based businessman Naveen Rohra, his wife Neetu, and their daughter allegedly underwent religious conversion under his influence.
Post-conversion, the couple adopted Muslim names, Jamaluddin and Nasreen, and moved in with Chhangur Baba in Utraula, reportedly allowing him to use their luxury vehicles.
The high-profile nature of the case triggered public outrage and drew attention from law enforcement, the TOI report said.
What the ATS investigation revealed
According to ATS, the accused were running a well-planned network targeting Hindu women. The gang allegedly forced conversions through coercion and emotional manipulation.
The officials claim the group made nearly 40 international trips to Islamic countries and received foreign funding of around Rs 100 crore. Of this, Rs 30–40 crore was allegedly traced to accounts linked to Chhangur and Neetu, including several in the Bank of Baroda.
ATS officials said the mansion may have been the operational hub of this syndicate. A diary found during the raid listed over 100 potential conversion targets. Some of the accused even continued using their Hindu identities on official documents despite conversion.
The ATS has secured a 7-day police custody remand for Chhangur Baba and Neetu to further investigate their links, funding sources, and how the conversion racket functioned. A multi-agency probe involving the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely.
The original complaint that triggered the investigation came from a local resident, Arvind Kumar, who reported suspicious activities in Madhpur.
The ATS also found details about how much money was allegedly paid for conversions based on caste. For example, converting Brahmin, Sikh, or Kshatriya women fetched Rs 15 to 16 lakh, Rs 10 to 12 lakh for OBCs, and Rs 8 to 10 lakh for other communities.
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