‘Project, Kajal, Darshan': Chhangur Baba's Codewords For Religious Conversion Revealed
UP's STF uncovered a code system used by Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba for illegal religious conversions. Baba and his aide Neetu were arrested.
The Uttar Pradesh's Special Task Force (STF) has revealed a web of code words used by self-styled godman Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba to orchestrate a massive illegal religious conversion racket, luring several people, mostly women, with incentives, financial aid, promises of marriage or forced through intimidation.
According to the STF probing the case, Chhangur Baba used several codewords— Project, mitti palatna, kajal lagana and darshan— at various stages to convert one's faith and hide the true nature of his illegal activities, India Today reported.
In this secret lingo, 'project" referred to women, ' mitti palatna" meant religious conversion, ' Kajal lagana" meant manipulation and ' darshan" referred to introducing the victims to Chhangur Baba.
On July 5, Chhangur Baba, the alleged mastermind of a religious conversion gang, was arrested along with his aide, Neetu alias Nasreen. The two are residents of Madhpur in Balrampur district, bordering Nepal.
Chhangur's arrest is currently under UP ATS custody for a 7-day remand till July 16. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing financial irregularities, including suspicious transactions worth over Rs 106 crore spread across 40 bank accounts, along with at least two properties reportedly worth crores.
Who Is Chhangur Baba?
Chhangur Baba is the alleged mastermind of a large illegal religious conversion racket based in Balrampur district of Uttar Pradesh. As reported earlier, he had worked in gemstone sales and gained popularity after spending some time in Mumbai.
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".
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has lauded the arrest, saying that early findings from the investigation indicated the accused was involved in activities that were not only against society but also against the country.
Modus Operandi
According to the STF, the accused told the investigators that he used several code words to communicate with his gang. Explaining the modus operandi, he told investigators that his aides would lure young people and ask them to convert their religion by luring them with financial incentives, foreign travel, jobs and scholarships.
The operation is reported to have been supported by nearly Rs 100 crore in foreign funding, according to officials. Investigators found that the money was used to buy several luxury properties, bungalows, expensive vehicles, and showrooms.
More than 40 bank accounts, some under false names, were used to transfer the funds, pointing towards money laundering.
As per Amar Ujala, to influence people, Chhangur Baba would first offer small amounts of cash (Rs 100 to Rs 200 per day) along with basic jobs like cleaning or caring for animals at his residence. He then gradually pressured them to convert. Two accused, Mehboob and Naveen Rohra, were said to be in charge of this part of the operation, which generated income while expanding the reach of the network.
The report mentioned that a man named Sanchit, who worked as a cleaner for Chhangur, claimed that he was offered Rs 5 lakh to convert. When he refused, he was falsely implicated in a rape case, according to Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) statement as cited in the report.
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First Published:
July 13, 2025, 15:58 IST
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