Who is Changur Baba and What Was His Role in the Rs 100 Crore Conversion Racket?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Changur Baba arrested in a major crackdown on illegal conversions.
- Allegations of exploiting romantic relationships for religious coercion.
- Over Rs 100 crore funneled through fraudulent accounts.
- The operation masked as spiritual outreach.
- ATS pursuing additional suspects connected to the network.
Bhopal, July 5 (NationPress) The government of Uttar Pradesh, led by Yogi Adityanath, has delivered a major blow to unlawful religious conversion networks with the capture of an individual identified by authorities as the mastermind behind a large-scale foreign-backed conspiracy.
Jamaluddin, popularly referred to as Changur Baba, was apprehended by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Madhpur village, Balrampur district, after successfully evading arrest for several months.
A reward of Rs 50,000 was announced for information leading to his capture.
In a press briefing, Additional Director General (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash revealed the syndicate's operations, which allegedly exploited romantic relationships to coerce Hindu women into converting their religion.
One particularly troubling case involved a woman from Lucknow named Gunja Gupta, who was reportedly enticed by an individual posing as “Amit” and taken to Changur Baba’s shrine, where she was given the name Alina Ansari.
Investigators found that the group operated dual schemes involving religious manipulation and extensive financial fraud.
Members of this network reportedly traveled to Islamic countries almost forty times and opened over 40 bank accounts connected to shell companies.
Around Rs 100 crore is believed to have been funneled through these accounts, allegedly from foreign sources. These funds were utilized to purchase luxury automobiles, real estate, and commercial properties throughout Uttar Pradesh.
Among those detained was Neetu, alias Nasreen, considered a vital player in the group's operations. The syndicate reportedly assigned financial rewards for each conversion, with women from Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Sikh backgrounds being “valued” more than others. Those who resisted faced threats of fabricated legal action.
Authorities suspect that the operation was disguised as a spiritual outreach initiative. Jamaluddin is also said to have authored a book titled ‘Shijra-e-Tayyaba’, which was allegedly used as a means of ideological indoctrination.
The ATS is actively pursuing remaining suspects, including individuals known as Mehboob, Pinky Harijan, Hazira Shankar, Sagir, and a person claiming to be a journalist, Amen Rizvi.
Officials have characterized the racket as a coordinated and perilous intersection of coercion, financial crime, and extremist propaganda.