In a significant crackdown on an alleged religious conversion and money laundering racket, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered financial transactions amounting to over Rs60 crore routed through 22 bank accounts operated by self-styled godman Jamaluddin Shah, alias Chhangur Baba, and his associates.
During extensive search operations conducted on Friday at 15 locations across Balrampur, Lucknow, and Mumbai, the ED seized various documents. These documents suggest that the proceeds of crime were transferred to multiple individuals to purchase immovable properties worth crores of rupees and carry out construction activities in these properties.
The investigation revealed that all immovable assets linked to Chhangur Baba were registered under his associates, Naveen Rohra and Neetu Rohra, as part of a deliberate strategy to mask ownership.
The ED has unearthed a detailed trail of offshore financial transactions and high-value property acquisitions allegedly linked to Chhangur Baba. In its ongoing probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the agency has compiled incriminating evidence linking him to a complex web of offshore companies, suspicious property deals, benami transactions, Power of Attorney (PoA) arrangements, and dubious investments across India and the UAE.
According to official records accessed by The Free Press Journal, the dossier includes 13 key documents and annexures, which form the backbone of the financial crime allegations.
A key finding in the investigation is Chhangur’s financial linkage to two Dubai-based entities, including M/s Krishna International FZE and M/s United Marine FZE. The ED has examined financial statements of United Marine for the years 2012, 2018, and 2020, along with internal company profiles, which point to suspected laundering of foreign currency through these firms. Additionally, loose sheets recovered during the raids detail transactions routed through SBI accounts in India, Habib Bank AG Zurich, and the RAK Investment Authority of Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, further strengthening suspicions of cross-border financial irregularities.
The dossier also includes a test report from Lucknow-based Integral University, assessing the structural viability of M/s Aasvi Multispeciality Hospital in Balrampur suspected of laundering illicit funds.
Further, the ED has flagged a series of property-related transactions in Mumbai and Vasai, which are suspected to be part of a benami ownership structure.These include Sale Deed no. 111/2012 registered at the Sub-Registrar office (SRO) in Vasai, Sale Deed no. 389/2014 executed in favour of Ghanshyam Kanhaiyalal Rohra and others, and Sale Deed no. 7212/2016 registered at SRO Mumbai Kurla-II in favour of Chhangur Baba. A draft Sale Deed related to the Runwal Green project in Mumbai has also come under scrutiny. Additionally, agreements dated July 24, 2017, between Vasrambhai Patel and Nasir Vadilal, followed by an irrevocable Power of Attorney (PoA) issued by Vadilal in favour of Chhangur, indicate deliberate layering intended to obscure the true ownership of these properties.
Investigators have identified a pattern of PoA arrangements suspected to be used to conceal beneficial ownership. A general PoA granted by M/s Asvi Enterprises in favour of Chhangur, and another executed by Vadilal, indicate direct control by Chhangur over key assets and entities.
According to the documents reviewed by the ED, two key agreements dated July 24, 2017, were executed as part of a deliberate layering strategy to obscure the actual ownership of assets. The first agreement was signed between Nasir Vadilal and Chhangur Baba, while the second was between Vasrambhai Patel and Nasir Vadilal. These back-to-back transactions suggest that property rights were passed through intermediaries in a staged manner, thereby concealing the identity of the real beneficiary. The ED suspects that such instruments were not only structured to create distance between Chhangur and the assets but also to provide legal cover for benami transactions.
Further supporting this suspicion, documents reveal that M/s Asvi Enterprises, which allegedly routed funds for these deals, had granted a general Power of Attorney (PoA)to Chhangur. This strengthens ED’s belief that he operated through multiple proxies to acquire and control assets valued at several crores.
The agency’s investigation suggests that the laundering operation spanned multiple jurisdictions, with a combination of legal agreements, financial documents, and cross-border investments forming a complex web of deceit.
The dossier, signed and sealed by the Assistant Director of ED, was recorded in the presence of two panch witnesses on July 17, 2025.
A crucial lead emerged from the Mumbai residence of Shehzad Sheikh, a close associate of Chhangur Baba and Naveen Rohra. According to ED sources, financial transactions amounting to Rs2 crore were detected in Sheikh’s bank account, allegedly transferred from an account held by Naveen Rohra alias Jamaluddin, a key accused in the ongoing religious conversion case.
Preliminary findings suggest the funds were used to purchase real estate, with a portion further routed to multiple other accounts. Sheikh reportedly purchased a flat in the name of his wife, Nazreen Sheikh, in Kanakia Paris located in Bandra (E). Flat no. 2003 on the 20th floor of Wing F was registered in her name on January 7, 2021. Another property in Mahim, registered under Sheikh’s name, is currently occupied by his sister.
The ED seized documents related to the registration of the Bandra and Mahim properties, along with relevant bank account details. Sheikh has been summoned to appear before the agency’s Lucknow Zonal Office next week for further questioning.
According to investigators, Chhangur Baba and his associates allegedly operated a vast religious conversion network from the premises of Chand Auliya Dargah in Balrampur. The dargah reportedly hosted frequent gatherings attended by both Indian and foreign nationals.
ED officials said the accused primarily targeted members of scheduled castes and economically weaker sections of the Hindu community, allegedly inducing or coercing them into religious conversion under the guise of spiritual healing and social welfare.
