ED Launches Sweeping Raids in Chhangur Baba Conversion Case Across UP and Mumbai
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted simultaneous searches at 14 locations in Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai on Thursday, July 17, 2025, as part of a money laundering investigation tied to an alleged religious conversion racket led by Jalaluddin, also known as Chhangur Baba, according to officials cited by PTI. The operation targeted 12 sites in Utraula, Balrampur district, Uttar Pradesh, and two locations in Mumbai’s Bandra and Mahim areas, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The raids, which began at 5 a.m., focused on properties linked to Chhangur Baba and his associate Shehzad Sheikh, who is currently under questioning by the ED at his Bandra residence. Investigators are probing financial transactions, including an alleged transfer of approximately Rs 2 crore from the bank account of Naveen, an accused individual, to Sheikh. The ED’s actions follow the recent arrest of Chhangur Baba, a self-styled spiritual leader from Balrampur, by the Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on July 5 for his alleged role in orchestrating a large-scale conversion network.
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Chhangur Baba, also known as Jamaluddin, has denied the allegations, stating to reporters on Wednesday, “I am innocent. I don’t know anything,” according to India Today. The ED’s investigation has uncovered significant financial trails, with News18 reporting that over Rs 500 crore was funneled into around 40 bank accounts linked to Chhangur Baba and his associates, including funds allegedly sourced from Pakistan and Gulf countries. Additionally, noted that the raids yielded substantial evidence, including land documents, luxury vehicles, gold, and unaccounted cash.
The case has drawn attention due to its scale and the involvement of foreign funding, reporting that Chhangur Baba’s operations, centered in Utraula, allegedly amassed Rs 106 crore, primarily from Middle Eastern countries. The ED’s ongoing searches aim to unravel the financial network supporting the alleged conversion activities, with officials continuing to investigate the full extent of the racket.