'Illegal religious conversion racket' in UP: ED gets Chhangur Baba's custody till August 1

Lucknow: A special PMLA court in Lucknow on Monday granted a five-day custody of Chhangur Baba to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of a money-laundering investigation against him and his associates linked to an alleged illegal religious conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

Chhangur Baba alias Jalaluddin alias Karimulla Shah has been in jail in the predicate offence case being investigated by the Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). The ED had applied to the court for his custody following which it was allowed a five-day remand of the accused till August 1, the officials said.

He will be questioned in jail and his statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they added.

Earlier this month, the federal agency conducted searches at Chhangur Baba's native place in Balrampur district and two places in Mumbai.

The ED later said in a statement that the accused had received funds worth Rs 60 crore in 22 bank accounts, including "large amounts" from abroad.

The money-laundering case against Chhangur Baba stems from the ATS FIR filed at a police station in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021.

Chhangur Baba, his son Mehboob and alleged associates Naveen Rohra alias Jamaluddin and Neetu Rohra alias Nasreen were arrested by the ATS. They are currently lodged in a jail.

The ATS complaint alleged a "large-scale" conspiracy involving unlawful religious conversions, utilisation of foreign funds and activities posing a potential threat to national security.

"Chhangur Baba and his associates are alleged to have established an extensive network operating from the premises of the Chand Auliya Dargah in Balrampur, where he regularly organised large gatherings attended by both Indian and foreign nationals.

"He is accused of systematically inducing, coercing and manipulating individuals of other faiths, particularly Scheduled Castes and economically disadvantaged persons belonging to Hindu religion, into religious conversion," the ED had said.

The agency has said it has analysed 22 bank accounts related to Chhangur Baba and his associates and it was found that funds worth more than Rs 60 crore were received by them.

"It was also found that a large amount of funds has been received from foreign countries by Chhangur Baba and his associates," it has said.

The searches also led to the seizure of a number of documents that show that the "proceeds of crime" (illicit funds) were majorly transferred to different people for purchasing a number of immovable properties worth crores of rupees and carrying out construction activities in these properties.

All the immovable assets acquired by Chhangur Baba are in the names of Naveen Rohra and Neetu Rohra to conceal his actual involvement in money laundering, the ED has said.

Following the arrest of Chhangur Baba, alleged illegal constructions linked to him in Balrampur were razed by the district administration. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had described the actions of the accused as not only anti-social but also "anti-national".