UP ATS arrests Chhangur Baba's aide who helped trap vulnerable targets
The accused, Rashid Shah (40), is a resident of Madhpur village in Balrampur.
He was wanted in a 2024 case connected to the state's biggest conversion racket. Officials said he was traced and apprehended during a focused operation in Balrampur and is being produced before court for further legal action.
The arrest is linked to a case lodged at ATS Police Station, Lucknow, under Sections 121 (waging war), 417 (cheating), 420 (fraud), 153A (promoting enmity) of IPC, and Sections 3, 5(1), 5(2), 5(3), and 8(1) of the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021.
According to ATS sources, Rashid Shah acted as a recruiter and facilitator, introducing vulnerable individuals to the conversion network and coordinating with handlers. He allegedly arranged safe meeting spots, influenced targets with monetary benefits, and ensured logistics for conversion rituals orchestrated by Chhangur Baba's syndicate.
ATS officials believe Rashid played a pivotal role in expanding the network's reach in Balrampur and adjoining districts, often under the guise of offering financial aid and spiritual counselling. His arrest is expected to provide crucial leads about funding patterns, local accomplices, and foreign links.
ATS plans to seek custodial remand to extract details of his links with hawala-funded activities, property deals, and possible cross-border connections exposed during recent ED raids tied to the same racket.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
11 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Enforcement Directorate searches are over, say Reliance Group companies
Reliance Group firms Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) and Reliance Power (RPower) on Sunday (July 27, 2025) said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had concluded searches on their premises and that the companies would continue to cooperate with the agency. Both the Anil Ambani-led group's companies said they, including their officials, would continue to fully cooperate with the ED. They said that the said action had no impact on their business operations. RInfra said, 'Action by ED has no impact on the business operations, financial performance, shareholders, employees, or any other stakeholders of the company. The same appears to pertain to allegations concerning transactions of Reliance Communications Limited (RCOM) or Reliance Home Finance Limited (RHFL), which are over 10 years old. Reliance Infrastructure is a separate and independent listed entity with no business or financial linkage to RCOM or RHFL.' 'RCOM is undergoing Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process as per the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, since over six years,' it said. RPower also said the same, adding that the company continued to operate in its normal course and that the said action had no impact on its business operations. The ED began searching multiple premises linked to the group on Thursday (July 24, 2025) over alleged money laundering and financial irregularities, running into crores of rupees, and the searches continued for the third day on Saturday (July 27, 2025).
India Today
6 hours ago
- India Today
When terror walks free: 7/11 verdict and crisis of India's criminal justice system
Nearly two decades after the deadly 7/11 Mumbai train blasts, which killed over 180 people and injured more than 800, the Bombay High Court's decision to acquit all 12 convicted accused has sent shockwaves across the country. While judicial independence and the rule of law are the pillars of our democracy, the complete collapse of the criminal justice system in a case of this magnitude raises grave questions—not just legal, but also national September 2015, after a nine-year-long investigation led by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court convicted 12 of 13 accused in connection with the coordinated bombings. Five were sentenced to death, seven to life imprisonment, and one was acquitted. One of the death-row convicts later died in 2021 in jail due to COVID-19. However, on 21st July 2025, the High Court ruled that the prosecution had 'utterly failed' to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, and acquitted all 12, including the Hurdles Then, Judicial Acquittal NowThe court's observations on the unreliability of eyewitness testimonies, delayed identifications, lack of corroborative material, and doubts over the voluntariness of confessions are rooted in procedural rigour. It is worth noting that the special court found sufficient ground for conviction based on the same evidence. To summarily discard all evidence and confession-based inputs is not only unfair to the victims and the investigation but also potentially dangerous. These were not petty offenders; they were individuals linked to known terrorist organisations. To assume they will peacefully reintegrate into society is nave. On the contrary, there is a very real and chilling possibility that their release could enable them to re-establish ties with militant networks and plot future attacks under the cover of judicial Trust, Empowering TerrorThis verdict impacts more than just victims' families or police credibility; it undermines public trust in the entire criminal justice system. When justice appears denied in major terror cases, people begin to lose faith in due process, leading to calls for media trials or even extrajudicial actions, as seen in the Hyderabad rapists encounter case. This risks pushing India toward a vigilante mindset where emotion overrides judgments also weaken India's global image as a nation tough on terrorism. Actions like the Balakot strikes, Operation Sindoor, and strong declarations such as 'Any act of terror will be considered an act of war' projected strength, but the 7/11 acquittals create an impression, both domestically and abroad, that India remains a 'soft state' on agencies like the ATS and NIA, the outcome is deeply demoralizing. Years of high-risk investigation and sacrifice feel dismissed, potentially deterring future action. At a time of rising global threats, India cannot afford a justice system that weakens morale and signals impunity to its and National Security Must CoexistThis is not an argument for abandoning due process or fair trial, but a call for judicial sensitivity in cases involving national trauma and security threats. A purely procedural lens risks undermining public trust, morale, and the Supreme Court staying the Bombay High Court's acquittal in the 7/11 case on July 24, 2025, it must now re-examine the matter with a security-conscious approach. Mass-casualty terrorism cannot go unpunished, nor can suspects be freed only to rejoin militant acquittals are a wake-up call for systemic reform across investigation, prosecution, and colonial-era criminal justice system, rooted in rigid procedures and outdated evidentiary norms, is ill-equipped for modern terrorism. Terrorists exploit encrypted tools and leave little evidence, yet the system still demands traditional proofs like eyewitnesses years protecting civil liberties remains vital, blind adherence to outdated norms must not compromise justice in high-risk national security Must IntrospectThe recent acquittal compels the judiciary to engage in serious self-reflection. How can two courts, examining the same evidence, arrive at such radically different outcomes—one imposing death sentences, the other granting complete acquittals? This stark divergence raises troubling concerns about the consistency, objectivity and internal coherence of our justice delivery system. Was the evidence so ambiguous that it led to a miscarriage of justice at the trial stage? Or does this contradiction reflect deeper issues, such as subjective judicial interpretation or the sway of elite legal advocacy?The involvement of Dr. S. Muralidhar, former Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court and now Senior Advocate, in representing two terror-accused adds complexity. While fair legal representation is a fundamental right, the participation of a former top judge raises ethical and institutional concerns. His stature could unintentionally influence judicial peers or affect how proceedings are perceived. Even without legal impropriety, such involvement in high-stakes cases calls for regulatory scrutiny toensure judicial processes remain above reproach, both in law and in public perception, especially in matters of national Reforms NeededTo protect India's internal security and ensure justice in terrorism cases, judicial reform and institutional introspection are essential. The criminal justice system comprises of the police, prosecution, and judiciary. While courts often question the competence of investigators and prosecutors, they too must be held accountable, especially in high-stakes terror trials and sensitive criminal investigative agencies like the ATS and state intelligence wings, though rooted in colonial-era policing, have tried to keep pace with changing technology like electronic surveillance, cyber forensics, and multilingual intelligence, the judiciary must now catch up to ensure these technological advances result in effective convictions and timely like the UAPA, MCOCA, and CrPC are evolving to address encrypted data, foreign handlers, and proxy warfare. Yet, judicial delays, inconsistent rulings, and external influences continue to hinder must include specialized training not only for investigators but also for judges and prosecutors in national security law to help balance civil liberties with national interest. Simultaneously strengthening witness protection and forensic protocols is equally crucial. Eyewitnesses mostly succumb to threats even from big criminals, not to mention terrorists having support from our neighbouring country. While the investigative and legal frameworks are adapting, the judiciary must evolve in parallel to preserve coherence, credibility, and integrity in India's fight against isn't about overriding judicial independence, but aligning it with modern security needs. Justice cannot function in isolation, blind to its consequences. The 7/11 acquittals are more than a legal outcome; they test India's institutional the Supreme Court staying the High Court's order, it must now revisit the case not just in legal terms, but in the spirit of national accountability. Can a system that finds no one guilty for Mumbai's deadliest train attack truly claim to have delivered justice?India must ensure its justice system is not only fair and impartial, but alert, modern, and strong enough to face any challenge, including terrorism. The time to introspect is now.(Ashok Kumar is a Retd IPS officer and former DGP of Uttarakhand. He is presently serving as Vice Chancellor of the Sports University of Haryana, Rai, Sonipat, Haryana.)- Ends(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)Must Watch
Economic Times
6 hours ago
- Economic Times
Reliance Power, Reliance Infra raids: ED action concludes at all locations, says company statement
Reuters Reliance Power, Reliance Infra raids: ED action concludes at all locations, says company statement Enforcement Directorate (ED) has concluded its raid on all locations linked to Anil Ambani's Reliance Power and Reliance companies announced that ED has concluded at all locations.'The Company and all its officials have fully cooperated and will continue to cooperate with the authority,' as per statement issued by Reliance Power and Reliance Infrastructure. On Thursday, ED searched multiple locations linked to Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group as part of an ongoing probe into alleged money laundering involving more than Rs 24,000 crore
