‘Had 70 rooms’: Chhangur Baba breaks down seeing Rs 3 crore Balrampur villa razed; was orchestrating conversions for past 15 years | Lucknow News
LUCKNOW: UP ATS on Friday took conversion syndicate kingpin, Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, to his massive villa in Balrampur — now partially demolished by govt after his network was busted.The ATS commandos took Baba inside the sealed property, where senior officers conducted a 40-minute on-site interrogation related to the investigation and collected vital documents in connection with the case of alleged forced religious conversions.Baba reportedly broke down on seeing his razed den from where he used to run his illegal conversion racket. Baba is in ATS custody till July 16.Local police and media were barred from the premises on Friday.Baba was taken to a room adjacent to the demolished building and grilled amid tight security. After the questioning, the villa was relocked and the key returned to the lekhpal concerned.Chhangur Baba was arrested along with his associate Neetu alias Nasreen from Lucknow on July 5. The duo is currently in seven-day ATS custody and being interrogated separately by dedicated teams. ADG Law & Order Amitabh Yash said Baba orchestrated religious conversions for the past 15 years under various aliases and fronts.The lavish villa, worth Rs 3 crore, was constructed illegally and had over 70 rooms and halls. At least 40 rooms were razed during the operation. The property was registered under the name of Nasreen.Baba, who grew up in poverty, started off peddling clothes and selling imitation gemstones. His fortunes turned in 2011 when his wife Kutbunisha won a panchayat election.The panchayat victory gave him a foothold in govt corridors and marked the beginning of his rise to a well-oiled conversion and funding syndicate, involving religious coercion, foreign donations, land encroachments, and high-level local contacts.ATS probe into foreign funding exceeding Rs 100 crore, land encroachments, and links to other operatives is underway. More arrests may follow as ATS expands the scope of its investigation
