Chhangur Baba Accused of Illegal Conversions: ₹300 Crore Received via Nepal through 100 Bank Accounts

Jamaluddin, popularly known as Chhangur Baba, is a self-styled ‘Pir’ from Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh. Once a street vendor, he rose to prominence as a spiritual leader through his Dargah-based gatherings and amulets. Authorities now allege that he used religious influence to operate an extensive illegal religious conversion machine targeting vulnerable communities

How Much Money Was Involved—and Through Which Channels?

The ATS and ED investigations have uncovered that over the past three years, Chhangur Baba received nearly ₹500 crore in foreign funding:

• ₹200 crore through official banking channels
• ₹300 crore routed covertly via Nepal, using over 100 bank accounts in Kathmandu and border districts like Rupandehi, Banke, and Nawalparasi

Deposits came from Pakistan, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey—allegedly to finance mass religious conversions

The Nepal-Hawala Connection Explained

Investigators found systematic use of hawala and hawkish cash-exchange networks:

• Funds sent to Nepali bank accounts,
• Converted to Indian rupees via agents in Bihar and UP (e.g., Bahraich, Shravasti),
• Commission rates of 4–5% were reportedly charged

This informal banking system allegedly facilitated secret fund transfers, evading official checks.

Bank Accounts & Real-Estate Empire

• ED flagged 40+ accounts in India and Nepal with suspicious transactions totaling ₹106 crore, primarily from the Middle East
• Additional accounts linked to foreign sources amounted to ₹68 crore, with ₹7 crore in just three months
• Chhangur Baba also allegedly acquired properties: a ₹5 crore mansion in Balrampur, a ₹16 crore estate in Lonavala, and assets in Pune and Nagpur

Assets were often bought using shell companies and forged documents, pointing to money laundering under PMLA and FEMA

Allegations of Illegal Conversions

Authorities allege Chhangur Baba orchestrated mass conversions using:

• Emotional manipulation, money, and marriage promises,
• A “conversion rate list” based on victims’ caste,
• Coercive use of aides like Neetu alias Nasreen,
• Targeting vulnerable women through conversion counselling at his mansion

Victims from Hindu backgrounds were reportedly indoctrinated, with the syndicate functioning like a criminal enterprise

Legal Action Taken So Far

• Arrests: Chhangur Baba and Neetu were arrested by UP ATS on July 5, 2025, with a ₹50,000 bounty on his head
• ED Cases: Money-laundering FIR filed; ₹100+ crore in foreign funding under ED’s scanner
• Bulldozer action: Demolition of illegal mansion in Balrampur and show-cause notices to others .
• Cross-border pursuit: ATS probing in Maharashtra and Nepal border districts, uncovering benami properties and NGO links

UP CM Yogi Adityanath called the syndicate “anti-national,” advocating strict enforcement

Implications and Expert Views

Experts note this case highlights:

• How religious conversion can be used as a cover for money laundering,
• Weak enforcement of foreign funding laws (FCRA, FEMA),
• Threats posed by cross-border hawala networks,
• Potential communal fallout due to politically sensitive nature.

Legal analysts emphasize the need to tighten KYC norms, monitor NGOs, and strengthen anti-money laundering mechanisms.