New Delhi: In Uttar Pradesh’s Balrampur, about 15 years ago, a man named Karimulla Shah, who sold rings and amulets to make a living, began identifying as a Pir Baba. Styling himself as a Haji Pir, he started constructing several dargahs in the area.
Soon, he came to be known as the popular Chhangur Baba, who hosted large-scale events at these dargahs, and had a following so huge that even senior local police officers would purportedly visit him.
Now, Chhangur Baba, alias Jamaluddin, stands accused of coercing many to convert to Islam, besides siphoning funds collected from Pakistan, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, routed through Nepal in multiple bank accounts, and running an agent network spread across UP, Maharashtra and Bihar, among other states.
He and his associates, which included his son Mehoob, were arrested by the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad last week. Associates Neetu, alias Nasreen, and Naveen—also converts—are among those arrested.
According to police sources, local police officers, including those of Superintendent of Police rank, were among his frequent visitors. “It wasn’t as if no one knew that he was running a conversion racket, multiple complaints were received against him, but he knew how to get them suppressed,” a source told ThePrint. “Local residents are also scared and intimidated of him. He runs a huge network of agents here working for him in this conversion racket running through the dargah system.”
“Such was his power and level of manipulation that Neetu became his right-hand person, and would accompany him to the Middle East,” the source said.
The Enforcement Directorate has also registered a case after transactions of Rs 100 crore were uncovered.
An ED official said: “Chhangur Baba is alleged to have established an extensive network operating from the premises of Chand Auliya Dargah, where he regularly organised large gatherings, attended by both Indian and foreign nationals.”
The official added: “Through his religious discourses, the publication of a book titled ‘Shijra-e-Tayyaba’, and strategic psychological influence, he is accused of promoting Islam while systematically inducing, coercing, and manipulating individuals of other faiths—particularly Hindus, Scheduled Castes, and economically disadvantaged persons—into religious conversion. These acts were part of a broader organised effort to carry out mass conversions and accumulate wealth through deceitful means.”
Sources in Uttar Pradesh Police said that transactions worth Rs 100 crore in the last six-seven years were found linked to him. “He had also bought a piece of land in Pune worth Rs 16 crore to set up another centre there,” a source said. Apart from Chand Auliya, sources said, he also ran operations from Lakar Shah Dargah.
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The network
Sources further said that Chhangur had started building his networks back when he still sold amulets. “He would tell women he could fix their marriages, make their husbands stop drinking. He would tell families that he could help them have children. He exercised great power over them, and coerced those vulnerable to convert,” another source said.
He ran a transnational network of agents—those who earned commissions for conversions as well as those who handled bank accounts, according to sources.
However so far, investigators haven’t given a total figure on the number of people they allegedly converted.
“We haven’t found the registry yet. However, a probe has revealed that he would travel to the Middle East, and tell people and organisations there about how many people he had converted to get more money. He amassed multiple properties with these donations,” the source said.
Sources also said that while the suspected number of converts is very high, testimonies of at least 3-4 of the alleged converts have been recorded in court. According to investigators so far, 40 bank accounts have been discovered that the money to run this alleged racket was siphoned through.
According to the ATS, the money was brought into Balrampur, Shravasti, Bahraich and Lakhimpur from Nepal, and then the Nepali currency would be converted into rupee. Sources said that Chhangur Baba’s events at his dargahs also would be attended by Nepalese nationals.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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