Key aide of UP religious conversion racket mastermind Chhangur Baba held in Nagpur

Nagpur, Jan 17 (PTI) A key aide of self-styled preacher Chhangur Baba was arrested in the early hours of Saturday in Nagpur in a joint operation of the local police and Anti Terrorism Squads of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, an official said.

Chhangur Baba alias Jalaluddin alias Karimulla Shah and his aides are being probed by UP ATS in connection with an FIR filed at Lucknow under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, while the Enforcement Directorate is looking into the money-laundering angle linked to his activities.

Idhu Islam, who played an important role in managing funds and logistics of Chhangur Baba's network, was held at 5am from Ashi Nagar under Pachpaoli police station limits, the official said.

"Islam is wanted in connection with serious cases registered in Uttar Pradesh and an arrest warrant was pending against him. The operation was conducted very carefully in a narrow lane of Ashi Nagar to avoid any law and order situation. Our team successfully apprehended the accused without any resistance," the senior official added.

He had managed to evade arrest for the past couple of years, and his arrest this morning came after specific intelligence inputs, a UP ATS official added.

The official said Chhangur Baba had strong links in Nagpur several years ago before shifting base to UP to set up a well-oiled network focusing on religious conversion and other illegal activities.

The police have alleged that Chhangur Baba acted in an organised manner to convert individuals from Hindu and other non-Muslim communities to Islam. The racket targeted poor labourers, widows, and vulnerable individuals, who were allegedly coerced, misled with financial incentives, or manipulated through marriage proposals.

He was arrested from Madhpur village in Balrampur district in UP on July 5 last year.

The case, registered at the ATS police station in Gomtinagar, Lucknow, includes charges under BNS Sections 121A (waging war against the state), 153A (promoting enmity), 417 (cheating), 420 (fraud), and provisions of Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act. PTI COR BNM