New Delhi [India], July 18 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered immovable assets acquired by Jalaluddin Shah alias Chhangur Baba that were allegedly registered in the names of his close associates in a bid to conceal his direct involvement in money laundering activities.

The close associates were Naveen Rohra alias Jamaluddin and Neetu Rohra alias Nasreen, whose details came to the fore after the ED carried out raids on July 17 at 15 locations related to Chhangur Baba, his close associate and others in Lucknow's Balrampur district and Mumbai under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

These revelations are to play a crucial role in the Chhangur Baba religious conversion case.

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The ED in a statement said, 'The evidence collected during the searches revealed that all the immovable assets acquired by Chhangur Baba are in the names of his associates Naveen Rohra and Neetu Rohra to conceal his actual involvement in money laundering.'

During the course of searches, ED said, officials also recovered 'several physical records deemed crucial for the ongoing investigation.' These developments are part of a larger probe into illegal financial dealings and the alleged use of proxies to mask the true ownership of assets.

The ED initiated an investigation on the basis of the First Information Report registered by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Lucknow, under sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, alleging a large-scale conspiracy involving unlawful religious conversions, utilisation of foreign funding, and activities posing a potential threat to national security.

ED also said that Chhangur Baba and his associates are alleged to have established an extensive network operating from the premises of Chand Auliya Dargah, Balrampur, where he regularly organised large gatherings attended by both Indian and foreign nationals.

'He is accused of systematically inducing, coercing, and manipulating individuals of other faiths, particularly Scheduled Castes, and economically disadvantaged persons belonging to the Hindu religion into religious conversion', added the ED.

During the course of the investigation, the ED informed that 22 bank accounts related to Chhangur Baba and his associates have been analysed so far.

According to the analysis of these bank accounts, funds amounting to more than Rs 60 crore received by Chhangur Baba and his associates have been identified, the federal agency stated.

'It is also revealed that a large amount of funds has been received from foreign countries by Chhangur Baba and his associates,' pointed out the ED.

During the searches, a number of documents were seized, which revealed that funds, which are nothing but Proceeds of Crime, were mainly transferred to different people for purchasing a number of immovable properties worth crores of rupees and carrying out construction activities in these properties, it added.

ED launched a formal investigation against Chhangur Baba, who faces serious allegations related to religious conversions, misuse of foreign funds, and activities that could potentially threaten national security and disturb communal harmony.

On July 9, ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Chhangur Baba under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe the offences of money laundering and gathered information that he has funds worth Rs 106 crore, mainly received from the Middle East in 40 bank accounts.

As part of its inquiry, the ED on July 10 sought detailed information about Chhangur Baba from local police authorities, the District Magistrate, and multiple banks.

Officials said the probe aims to trace the source and end use of foreign contributions allegedly received by individuals or organisations linked to Chhangur Baba.

The agency suspects that these funds may have been diverted for unlawful activities, including orchestrating religious conversions and disrupting public order.

The ED's action comes amid growing scrutiny of financial flows linked to organisations under the scanner for violating provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and the PMLA.

During the course of investigation, ED on July 10 had sent a letter to Superintendent of Police ATS Lucknow requesting to provide a 'certified copy of First Inormation Report registered against Chhangur Baba (real name Karimulla Shah) on November 16, 2024, details of entities associated with him, bank account details related to him and his associates, and details of movable and immovable assets.'

The federal agency had also written a letter to the Balrampur District Magistrate requesting details of the assets of Chhangur Baba and his associates. Emails have been sent to the AML (Anti-Money Laundering) cells of the concerned banks to obtain bank account statements for the bank accounts mentioned in the FIR.

During the investigation under PMLA, ED said, it has been revealed that Chhangur Baba was arrested along with his close associate Neetu alias Nasreen from a hotel in Lucknow on July 5 by Lucknow ATS.

A resident of Madpur village in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district, Chhangur Baba, Neetu alias Nasreen, and others are accused of being involved in a large-scale conspiracy involving unlawful religious conversions, utilisation of foreign funding, and activities posing a potential threat to national security and communal harmony, the ED had said in a statement earlier this month.

Officials said, through his religious discourses, the publication of a book titled Shijra-e-Tayyaba, and strategic psychological influence, Chhangur Baba is accused of promoting Islam while systematically inducing, coercing, and manipulating individuals of other faiths-- particularly Hindus, Scheduled Castes, and economically disadvantaged persons--into religious conversion.

'These acts were part of a broader organised effort to carry out mass conversions and accumulate wealth through deceitful means. FIR further revealed that Chhangur Baba amassed assets exceeding Rs 100 crore over a span of a few years, allegedly acquired through this organised network,' said the officials.

According to the officials, Chhangur Baba purchased land and undertook extensive illegal construction-- including residential, commercial, and institutional structures--without obtaining the requisite land use conversion approvals. (ANI)