Massive ED Crackdown on Chhangur Baba’s Alleged Religious Conversion Racket in U.P. and Mumbai

In a major development in the ongoing investigation into an alleged religious conversion syndicate, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday, July 17, 2025, launched a coordinated raid at 14 locations connected to Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, the prime accused in a large-scale conversion racket that reportedly operated out of Balrampur district in Uttar Pradesh.

The simultaneous searches took place across 12 premises in Utaraula, a subdivision of Balrampur, and two key sites in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

According to top officials, the ED’s operation is focused on unearthing the financial network and assets amassed by Chhangur Baba and his associates, allegedly through unlawful means disguised as religious and spiritual activities.
#ConversionRacket #EDRaids

Chhangur Baba, a self-styled spiritual figure, is alleged to have orchestrated a systematic campaign of illegal religious conversions targeting vulnerable communities.

His operations, according to investigators, were not limited to faith-based practices but extended into money laundering, property hoarding, and suspicious foreign funding streams.

Sources close to the probe reveal that ED officials are meticulously examining bank account transactions, property ownership documents, movable and immovable assets, and foreign remittances linked to Baba, his close aide Neetu alias Nasreen, and several followers and benefactors.
#FinancialFraud #MoneyLaundering

Earlier this month, on July 5, Chhangur Baba was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) along with Nasreen and two other individuals.

The arrest followed the lodging of a First Information Report (FIR) at a Lucknow police station under provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021.

According to the FIR, the accused allegedly ran a well-organized syndicate that actively sought to convert individuals—especially those from Hindu and other non-Muslim backgrounds—to Islam, using deceit, inducement, or coercion.
#UPATS #AntiConversionLaw

The complaint, lodged by ATS officials after preliminary surveillance and ground-level intelligence, stated that the racket specifically targeted poor laborers, economically backward sections, widows, and socially vulnerable women.

The victims were allegedly lured with monetary rewards, promises of marriage, housing assistance, or even subjected to emotional manipulation and threats, thus bypassing the legal requirements mandated for religious conversion.
#TargetingThePoor #ForcedConversions

The FIR reads:

“The poor, helpless labourers, weaker sections, and widowed women were lured with incentives, financial aid, promises of marriage, or forced through intimidation, in violation of established procedures for religious conversion by the accused.”

This case has caused widespread concern among both law enforcement and civil society. The UP ATS, with backing from central agencies, believes the conversion network had trans-state implications and possibly extended international support systems, which are now under scrutiny. Investigators are also looking into whether the accused were part of or linked to any larger ideological or extremist operations.

Following the arrests, several former followers of Chhangur Baba have come forward, claiming that he posed as a godman or faith healer, offering spiritual solace while subtly encouraging conversion under the pretense of divine blessings or community support.

The ED’s raid on Thursday marks a crucial step in the financial investigation of the racket, aiming to expose the funding mechanisms, shadow donors, and asset laundering techniques allegedly used to sustain the operation and fund the accused’s growing influence.
#BreakingTheNetwork #NationalSecurity

Legal experts note that this case may set a precedent in applying the UP Anti-Conversion law in conjunction with federal financial statutes, bringing religious coercion and financial irregularities under a common legal framework.

As the investigation intensifies, political and public debate is expected to rise, with calls for greater regulation of religious organizations, scrutiny of foreign-funded NGOs, and protection for vulnerable communities from religious exploitation.
#ReligiousFreedom #InvestigateFraud

The ED is expected to submit a preliminary financial report within the coming days, while the UP ATS continues to record testimonies and gather additional material evidence.

Chhangur Baba, Nasreen, and the two co-accused remain in judicial custody, as the agencies move to expand the probe into what is now being termed one of the most sophisticated religious conversion rackets in recent years.