The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (UP ATS) has filed a chargesheet against two main accused Jalaluddin, also known as Chhangur Baba, and his son Mehboob in connection with an alleged illegal religious conversion racket operating out of Balrampur district.
According to official sources, the father-son duo is accused of financing a network aimed at converting over 1,000 Hindu women, many of them poor or vulnerable, by using Muslim men to lure them into religious conversion over the past three years.
The ATS investigation claims that Chhangur Baba received approximately ₹500 crore from foreign sources reportedly from various Muslim-majority countries to fund the operation. The funds were allegedly used to carry out a well-coordinated campaign that targeted widowed and economically disadvantaged women through financial inducements, coercion, and manipulation.
The chargesheet, supported by testimony from 29 witnesses including 10 victims outlines a long-term strategy aimed at widespread conversions, with the alleged end goal of transforming India into an Islamic state by 2047.
One of the women involved in the case has accused Mehboob and his associate, Naveen Rohra, of sexual abuse and harassment under the guise of conversion. Several victims stated they were either threatened or offered money and resources in exchange for embracing Islam.
Testimonies detailed methods ranging from psychological manipulation to direct intimidation. In one case, a woman said she was called to a shop under the pretense of receiving a saree but was instead taken to a private room, where she was allegedly assaulted and pressured to convert.
Another key figure identified in the chargesheet is Naveen Rohra, a former Dubai-based businessman who is said to have returned to India solely to assist in the operation. Investigators claim Rohra received about ₹16.50 crore in foreign funding, with ₹1.3 crore of that reportedly transferred to Chhangur and Mehboob. These funds were then allegedly used to purchase land in Balrampur, Bahraich, and nearby districts, where plans were in place to establish Islamic Dawa Centres and madrasas.
The ATS has portrayed the group as part of an organized and financially backed network, with international funding and a systematic approach to religious conversion through inducement and pressure. The victims’ accounts, especially those involving coercion and exploitation, form the core of the prosecution’s evidence.
Officials believe the case reveals a broader strategy that extends beyond isolated incidents, suggesting a more extensive underground operation. The investigation also traced substantial financial transactions and property acquisitions tied to the accused.
The case is now set to proceed in court, with authorities relying on a combination of witness testimonies, financial documentation, and evidence of real estate purchases to build their case.
(With inputs from India Today)
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