Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba.
Credit: X/@AmarJit_IFS
Balrampur: The Balrampur district administration on Monday said it will recover over Rs 8.55 lakh from Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, arrested for alleged illegal religious conversions, and his associates in costs incurred in demolishing unauthorised constructions carried out by them on government land.
District Magistrate Pawan Agarwal said the illegal buildings were erected on plot numbers 370 and 337 in Madhpur village near Utraula town.
Despite being served a notice to vacate the encroached land within a week, the occupants failed to comply, prompting the administration to initiate demolition proceedings.
Agarwal said that the three-day operation required eight bulldozers, amounting to a total expense of Rs 8.55 lakh.
"Notices are being issued for the recovery of the amount. If they fail to deposit the compensation, legal action will follow," he said.
The demolition was done days after the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) secured week-long custody of Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, the alleged mastermind of a forced religious conversion racket.
On Friday, an ATS team visited his mansion in Madhpur and collected key documents as part of the ongoing investigation. Jalaluddin and co-accused Neetu alias Nasreen were arrested on July 5 and later remanded in ATS custody from July 10 to 16 by an NIA court.
Authorities say the accused, including Jalaluddin's son Mehboob and another person named Naveen alias Jamaluddin (both arrested earlier), were part of an organised network allegedly involved in converting Hindus and other non-Muslims to Islam.
Following the arrests, illegal constructions linked to Chhangur Baba were razed last Wednesday. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had described the actions of the accused as not only anti-social but also "anti-national" based on initial findings.