Chhangur Baba ‘empire’ falls in UP: ED files money laundering case against him; Rs 51 crore received to lure people into religious conversions | Lucknow News

LUCKNOW: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday registered a money laundering case against Jamaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, the alleged mastermind of an illegal religious conversion syndicate in the state. ED is now preparing to take him into custody.SEE ALSO: Jhangur Baba bought 2 lakh sq ft of land in Pune for just Rs 16 crore; owns Rs 100 crore property in Balrampur; deals linked to chief judicial magistrates’ familiesThe probe stems from suspected foreign remittances exceeding Rs 100 crore into around 40 bank accounts linked to the accused and his associates.ED has sought the details of income tax returns of all 40 entities of Chhangur Baba in the last 10 years and information about immovable properties from respective SRO (sub registrar office). The 40 entities under the scanner may have more than a hundred bank accounts.According to ED officials, the accused might have used these funds to coerce or lure people into conversion. ED officials have formally obtained a copy of the FIR from the UP Police to investigate the alleged flow of funds that allegedly fuelled a large-scale religious conversion racket.Ghanshyam Rohera, also known as Chhangur Baba and Jamaluddin, his wife Neetu Rohera aka Nasreen, son Mahboob, daughter Samale Rohera (Sabiha), Gunja Gupta (Alina), Abu Ansari, Meraj, Rashid, Shihabuddin, Sabroj, Ramzan, among others, have been named as accused in the case registered by the ATS.ED will scrutinise the movable and immovable assets of the accused.A source said that Neetu Rohera received Rs 13.9 crore in her account in just four months via NEFT, with Rs 5 crore was reportedly deposited from another country.Ghanshyam Rohera (Jamaluddin) received Rs 16.22 crore and Rs 18.66 crore, respectively, in two accounts, besides fund transfers from UAE. Their daughter’s passport listed no foreign travel, yet her conversion certificate indicates she underwent conversion abroad.The accused had acquired properties worth over Rs 100 crore in Balrampur and Pune. In Balrampur alone, plots worth Rs 1.5 crore were bought and developed into residential and commercial structures without legal land-use conversion.In Pune, over 2 lakh sq ft of land was purchased for Rs 16 crore under agreements shared with multiple stakeholders, including families of CGM court’s staff.The focus of investigation will also be on whether these transactions violated the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).Chhangur Baba, Nasreen in 7-day ATS custodyThe Anti-terrorist squad (ATS) took Jamaluddin alias Chhangur Baba and his associate Neetu alias Nasreen into seven-day custody for interrogation. Additional director general (law & order) Amitabh Yash said the ATS would probe financial transactions, foreign funding sources, illegal properties and conversion network being run by the gang.A copy of the FIR has been shared with the Enforcement Directorate which is likely to initiate a parallel probe into money laundering.Meanwhile, large-scale demolition drive continued for the third consecutive day at Chhangur Baba’s mansion in Utraula, Balrampur district. Spread over three bighas along the Utraula–Mankapur main road, the Rs 3-crore property allegedly served as the hub for forced religious conversions.Eight bulldozers razed key parts of the mansion, including the main gate, an illegally constructed hospital, a 30×20 ft administrative block of an under-construction degree college, and a 50×20 ft stable.Officials said that five structural pillars were also demolished. Over three days, authorities have cleared nearly 700 sq ft of unauthorized construction and extracted approximately one lakh quintals of debris.According to tehsildar Satyapal Prajapati, demolition notices were issued on May 17, June 17, and July 7. However, no response was received from Chhangur Baba or Nasreen, prompting the administration to proceed with razing the illegal structure.ATS officials claimed that Baba changed Neetu’s religion and used her name to acquire massive property.Officials confirmed that interrogation is now underway at the ATS headquarters, where both the accused are being questioned separately. Joint questioning sessions are expected in the coming days, and more arrests are likely.“All illegally acquired assets will be seized or demolished, and the full extent of the network is under scrutiny,” the ADG, law and order, said.