ED Raids 14 Locations in Chhangur Baba Religious Conversion Case, Probing Rs 2 Crore Transfer
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted searches at 14 locations linked to the Chhangur Baba religious conversion case, focusing on a suspicious transfer of Rs 2 crore from an accused’s bank account to another individual. The raids began early morning at 5 am across 12 locations in Uttar Pradesh’s Balrampur and two in Mumbai.
According to officials, the ED is investigating a transaction in which Naveen, an accused in the alleged conversion racket, transferred around Rs 2 crore to Shehzad Sheikh. Sheikh, who is under the agency’s scanner, is being questioned at his Bandra residence while simultaneous searches are being carried out at his homes in Bandra and Rizvi Heights, Mahim.
The action comes after the arrest of Chhangur Baba, also known as Jamaluddin, a spiritual leader from Balrampur, who was taken into custody earlier this month for allegedly running a large-scale religious conversion racket. The UP Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had earlier arrested Neetu alias Nasreen and her husband Naveen for their alleged involvement in the case.
Sources said the searches are aimed at tracing the money trail and uncovering financial links to the alleged illegal conversion network. The ED suspects the funds were used to facilitate religious conversions through inducements and other unlawful means.
The raids in Balrampur were focused in the Utraula area, while teams in Mumbai carried out coordinated searches in Bandra and Mahim. Heavy security was deployed outside the residences being searched, with local police assisting the ED in managing the operations.
The Chhangur Baba case has drawn significant attention in Uttar Pradesh, with the ATS alleging that the group targeted vulnerable individuals for conversion under the guise of spiritual healing and support. Officials claim the network had international funding channels and local operatives to manage the conversion process systematically.
The ED is expected to continue questioning suspects in the coming days and may summon additional individuals linked to the financial transactions under scrutiny.
