Jamaluddin, alias Chhangur Baba, the alleged mastermind of the mass religious conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh, has claimed that he is innocent. Breaking his silence on the allegations, Chhangur Baba told the media on Wednesday, "I am innocent. I don’t know anything."
Chhangur Baba’s first reaction on the issue came when he and his aide, Nasreen, were being taken from the Community Health Centre in Lucknow after a medical examination.
Chhangur Baba, a self-styled religious leader from Uttar Pradesh’s Balrampur, is accused of running a large-scale illegal religious conversion racket.
The issue of the conversion racket has become a hot topic in the country after the arrest of Chhangur Baba and his aide, Neetu alias Nasreen, by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).
According to reports, the network operated by Chhangur Baba allegedly lured and coerced vulnerable Hindu women and minors into converting to Islam, often through financial inducements.
Investigations by the ATS and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have reportedly found that over Rs 500 crore was allegedly funneled into around 40 bank accounts linked to Chhangur Baba and his associates from foreign sources—mostly from Gulf countries and possibly Pakistan. The investigative agencies suspect that these funds were used to finance the conversion racket.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has termed Chhangur Baba’s activities "anti-social" and "anti-national," highlighting the seriousness with which authorities are pursuing the multi-agency probe involving the ATS, ED, and potentially the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
