Shahjahanpur (UP), Jul 28 (PTI) Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur have launched an investigation into the origin of Rs 4 crore allegedly transferred into bank accounts linked to members of the Christian community accused of being involved in alleged religious conversions, officials said on Monday.
Four suspects have been detained in connection with the case, a senior police officer said.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Dwivedi told PTI that during the investigation in Sidhauli, it was found that a Tamil Nadu-based organisation named ‘Jesus Readymade’ had transferred Rs 25 lakh into the bank account of Padmanabhan, a resident of Tamil Nadu who was arrested from the area.
The probe further revealed that the bank account of Jesus Readymade was opened in 2017 with an initial transaction of Rs 4.6 crore. Authorities are now investigating the total volume and purpose of transactions made through the account since then, he said.
According to Dwivedi, the organisation is suspected to have transferred funds not only in Shahjahanpur but also to other districts and investigations in those areas are also underway.
So far, a total of 10 people have been arrested and sent to jail in five separate FIRs registered across different police stations in the district, including Ramchandra Mission, two cases in Sidhauli, one in Nigohi and two in Khutar, the police said.
Dwivedi said the police are closely analysing the financial transactions of all arrested individuals under the “money trail” investigation.
“We suspect that the funds received in the Tamil Nadu organisation’s account may have originated from foreign sources,” he added.
Multiple teams including the cyber cell have been deployed to track the financial flows, and a breakthrough is expected soon, he added.
The SP also informed that on Sunday, two members of the Christian community, Harishchandra (50) and his son Shailesh (25), were taken into custody during a prayer meeting in Kumbhi village under Khutar police station. A formal case has been registered against them and the police are interrogating the duo.
Similarly, in Chaina Rubia village under Nigohi police limits, two more individuals from the Christian community, Hemraj and Ompal, have been detained in connection with the alleged religious conversion activities.
“The financial evidence we’ve uncovered so far points to a serious issue,” SP Dwivedi said.
“Our teams are working diligently and we are confident that a detailed disclosure will be made soon,” he added. PTI COR KIS KSS KSS
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