UP's Chhangur Baba converted over 1,500 Hindu women, son had Swiss account: Sources

India Today

3 days ago

The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has unearthed a massive illegal religious conversion racket allegedly operated by Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, who is accused of converting over 1,500 Hindu women and thousands of other non-Muslims to Islam through coercion and inducement, police sources told India Today TV.According to officials, Chhangur Baba — originally from Madhpur in UP's Balrampur district — systematically targeted vulnerable groups, including poor, widowed, and helpless women. He is alleged to have used a mix of allurements and threats to expand his network, which had deep links not just across Indian states but also internationally, including a presence in Dubai.advertisementThe Special Task Force (STF) first began probing Chhangur Baba's activities after credible intelligence indicated a large-scale conversion racket. Following the trail, the case was handed over to the ATS, which is now identifying people who became the target of the alleged syndicate. Officials said that many individuals are still reluctant to come forward or testify against the self-styled godman.
Sources in the ATS claimed that Chhangur Baba built an extensive network in Maharashtra, operating around Mumbai's Dargahs where he sold rings as a front for his outreach. Over time, he became part of an international syndicate allegedly backed by Gulf-based organisations. Investigators are also looking into allegations that crores of rupees were funnelled from abroad through NRE-NRO accounts to bankroll his operations.During annual Urs events at the Chand Auliya Dargah, where Chhangur Baba is believed to have hosted foreign guests, more people were allegedly lured into conversion programmes. He reportedly planned to set up Islamic Dawah centres and madrasas in Balrampur and nearby districts to systematically alter the local demographic profile.Officials have found that Chhangur Baba's influence extended to local administration and law enforcement. An STF report claimed he bribed police and local intelligence officers to look the other way, and used false cases to silence his dissenters.Along with Changur Baba, his associate Neetu alias Nasreen has also been arrested and sent to seven-day ATS custody. Intelligence Bureau (IB) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials are set to interrogate the duo to trace foreign funding routes and uncover further links, sources said. Naveen alias Jamaluddin and Mehboob, Chhangur Baba's son, had already been arrested earlier and remain in Lucknow District Jail.Investigators have also found that Naveen allegedly purchased land in Balrampur with funds received from Dubai, and reportedly maintained an account in a Swiss bank. ATS teams are now scanning Chhangur Baba's mobile phones and electronic devices to recover records linked to conversion activities, international transactions, and details of his wider network.Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has termed Chhangur Baba's activities not just "anti-social" but "anti-national". The UP government demolished his residence in Balrampur using bulldozers.Officials said Chhangur Baba even arranged for the conversion of a minor girl — the daughter of his aides Naveen and Neetu — in Dubai, yet official documents continued to reflect Hindu identities, possibly to dodge legal scrutiny.- EndsMust Watch