Religious conversion racket: ED launches probe into Chhangur Baba's Rs 106 crore foreign funding

Chhangur Baba

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a probe into foreign funding worth over Rs 100 crore received by Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, the mastermind of a religious conversion racket.

The funding, primarily from Middle East, was reportedly received in 40 bank accounts linked to Chhangur Baba and his network. The funds have likely been used to coerce/lure women and minors, a TOI report said quoting ED officials who obtained a copy of the FIR from the UP Police which is probing the 'flow of funds' which allegedly fuelled a large-scale religious conversion racket.

A resident of Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district, Chhangur Baba was arrested by the UP Anti-Terrorism Squad on July 5 in connection with the conversion racket. His close associate Neetu alias Nasreen was also held from Lucknow.

Additional Director General (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash said the accused ran a massive network that allegedly targeted girls from a particular religious background, with alleged caste-based "conversion rates".

"The poor, helpless labourers, weaker sections, and widowed women were lured with incentives, financial aid, promises of marriage, or forced through intimidation, in violation of established procedures for religious conversion by the accused," the police said.

The enforcement directorate has pressed various sections under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to look into the possible generation of "proceeds of crime" by the accused, officials told news agency PTI. The probe stems from an FIR filed by the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) at a police station in Lucknow's Gomtinagar under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021.

Chhangur Baba (Jamaluddin), Mahboob (his son), Neetu Rohera (Nasreen), Ghanshyam Rohera, Samale Rohera (Sabiha), Gunja Gupta (Alina), Abu Ansari, Meraj, Rashid, Shihabuddin, Sabroj, Ramzan, among others, have been named as accused in the case.

According to reports, Nasreen received Rs 13.9 crore in his Bank of Baroda account over a period of just four months. Another member involved in the racket Ghanshyam Rohera received over Rs 34 crore in two separate bank accounts.

Property worth over Rs 100 crore was allegedly acquired in Balrampur and Pune. In Balrampur, plots worth Rs 1.5 crore were bought and developed into residential and commercial structures without any legal land-use conversion. Over 2 lakh sq ft of land was purchased in Pune for Rs 16 crore under agreements shared with multiple stakeholders.

Chhangur Baba's empire

Accused of running a large-scale religious conversion racket, Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba reportedly used to go around on his bicycle selling rings and amulets. With time, Baba's influence grew in his locality and he went on to become a village head. But his wealth has swollen over the years. Currently, Chhangur Baba has funds worth Rs 106 crore.

Chhangur Baba's empire is in the Uttaraula area of Balrampur district, bordering Nepal. He built a building next to a shrine in Madhpur, barely a few kilometres away from Rehra Mafi village from where Chhangur belongs. The government, however, found the building illegal. Authorities on Wednesday bulldozed the alleged illegal construction on government land.

The building had two sections, one of which was occupied by Chhangur Baba, his family and aides. According to reports, the building has around 15 CCTV cameras and two dogs.