The Rise And Fall Of Chhangur Baba: Inside India's Largest Alleged Conversion Racket

In one of the most sensational cases of illegal religious conversion in India’s recent history, intelligence agencies have dismantled a powerful syndicate allegedly spearheaded by Jamaluddin Shah (70) , also known as Chhangur Baba, a self-styled Sufi-type spiritual leader. He stands accused of orchestrating a nationwide religious conversion operation, reportedly fueled by foreign funding, radical operatives, and deceptive front NGOs.

According to Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials the Uttar Pradesh police's Anti-Terrorism Squad (UP-ATS), and other agencies, the racket operated across multiple states including U.P and Maharashtra (Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur) and extended into Nepal and the Middle East. The network is believed to have been deeply embedded, with links to hawala operators and foreign-based funders.

From a modest beginning as a taweez-seller in Balrampur district in UP, to emerging as a self-styled spiritual “peer baba” with overseas reach, Chhangur's empire is now under intense scrutiny by the ED, the UP-ATS and other state agencies. 

Originally known as Jamaluddin Shah, Chhangur Baba hails from Rehra Mafi village in Balrampur district. He is popularly called “Chhangur” due to having six fingers on one hand. Officials say he began his journey by selling religious amulets (taweez) in his village, before moving to Mumbai in the early 2010s. In Mumbai, he regularly visited the Haji Ali Dargah, one of the city’s most frequented religious sites, where he sold gemstone rings and charms. Investigators claim he used the dargah’s high footfall to connect with vulnerable individuals, promoting his supposed spiritual powers. These interactions gradually helped him build a loyal base of followers.  By 2020, Chhangur had rebranded himself as a 'peer baba' (spiritual guide), attracting a sizable following and accumulating unexplained wealth. He transformed from a roadside vendor into a self-styled 'peer' with nationwide influence, establishing ashrams, acquiring properties, and expanding his operations across several states. He reportedly undertook over 50 foreign trips, primarily to Gulf countries. His name surfaced prominently when Mumbai-based businessman Naveen Rohra, his wife Neetu, and their daughter allegedly underwent religious conversion under his influence. 

Neetu, originally a Sindhi Hindu from Mulund, Mumbai, was allegedly indoctrinated by Baba and converted to Islam along with her husband and daughter in 2015.The couple subsequently moved to Balrampur in 2020 to actively engage in conversion network.   

Central to Chhangur Baba’s inner circle were Naveen Rohra and his wife Neetu Rohra, who converted to Islam and adopted the names Jamaluddin and Nasreen. Their conversion was reportedly certified in Dubai in 2015, following which Neetu travelled to the UAE at least 19 times between 2014 and 2019. The couple, originally from Mumbai, moved to Utraula, Balrampur, where they became landowners and close aides to Chhangur.

Neetu played a critical role as a recruiter and indoctrinator persuading Hindu women to convert through emotional manipulation, financial promises, and spiritual pretexts. 

Chhangur Baba, along with Neetu aliash Nasreen and Naveen are accused of orchestrating a covert operation that allegedly targeted over 4,000 economically vulnerable individuals across Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra for conversions targeting vulnerable Hindu women especially those from Scheduled Castes , Other Backward Classes , and financially weaker background.

According to sources in the UP-ATS, the operation used honey-trapping, cash offers, marriage promises, and spiritual manipulation to persuade individuals to convert. A rate card allegedly maintained by the group suggested specific monetary incentives for converting people of different castes.
# Rs 15–16 lakh for Brahmin women

# Rs 10–12 lakh for OBC women

# Rs 8–10 lakh for SC and other communities
 officials state that this caste-based pricing was designed not only to financially reward those executing the conversions but also to strategically undermine the social fabric of Hindu society by targeting its perceived pillars. The deeper objective, according to UP-ATS sources, was to project the conversion of upper-caste women, especially Brahmins, as a symbolic “victory,” thereby lending the syndicate ideological leverage and legitimacy within radical networks operating both domestically and abroad. Investigators believe these significant funds were sourced through a combination of hawala networks, foreign NGO donations, and illegal property dealingsOfficials also unearthed code words like “project,” “mitti palatne” (turning soil), and “kajal” for internal communication, and recovered ledgers allegedly listing over 1,500 names of converted individuals. 

ED Searches Properties In Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh In Probe Into Chhangur Baba's Alleged Conversion Racket

According to ED officials, the entire racket operated under the guise of spiritual healing, education, and welfare services, and is suspected to have been funded through foreign donations routed via NGOs. Investigators claim the network utilized fake identities, proxy transactions, and shell entities to acquire benami properties valued at over Rs 300 crore. 

Naveen functioned as the financial backbone of the operation. He extended large sums of money to impoverished Hindu families under the guise of assistance, and once they defaulted, he would allegedly offer "debt relief" in exchange for religious conversion. His role extended beyond informal moneylending. Investigations revealed he played a key role in managing and routing illegal funds, some of which reportedly originated from foreign sources. These funds were not only used to sustain the conversion racket but also to acquire high-value benami properties.

 In 2021, Naveen filed an affidavit in the Uttaraula Civil Court, publicly declaring his conversion and allegiance to Chhangur Baba, whom he referred to as his spiritual guide. His frequent foreign trips, particularly 19 recorded visits to the UAE have raised serious concerns. Investigative agencies suspect these trips may be linked to hawala operations, foreign NGO funding, or ideological networking abroad.

The ED is now closely tracking these movements under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Naveen was arrested in April 2025, along with Chhangur Baba’s son, Mehboob. Neetu and Chhangur Baba were arrested in June 2025 from a hotel in Lucknow following a statewide manhunt.

The ED has uncovered a vast financial network that allegedly funneled more than Rs 106 crore into the group’s accounts from foreign nations, particularly in the Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Oman, and Qatar. These funds were allegedly transferred via hawala networks, shell NGOs, and through Nepal-based bank accounts especially those in Kathmandu, Banke, Rupandehi, and Nawalparasi districts.

Officials say that over 40 bank accounts were used by Chhangur for his conversion racket, and foreign inflow spiked just before mass gatherings or property purchases. The money was often labeled as "religious donations" or "dargah funding" but was allegedly used for covert conversions and land grabs.

Perhaps the most disturbing revelation came from intelligence inputs suggesting that Chhangur Baba had alleged links with ISI-backed operatives. Reports indicate he was reportedly coordinating conversions of Hindu women with the alleged intention of later marrying them off to ISI agents and other subversive elements. ATS teams have visited Barhni and Nepal border towns, where Baba allegedly maintained safehouses

 Multiple fake trusts and NGOs were reportedly used to launder funds and acquire assets:

• Aasvi Enterprises

• Aaspiya Hasni Hussaini Welfare Trust

• Aasvi Charitable Foundation

These entities allegedly had no actual on-ground activity yet received substantial foreign donations. Some of these funds were reportedly used to pay commissions to religious leaders, bureaucrats, and local politicians, according to ED sources.

One of the major transactions under scrutiny is the purchase of a Rs 16 crore property in Lonavala, which was registered in the name of the Rohra couple. Investigators strongly believe this was a benami acquisition, funded through proceeds of the alleged conversion racket and routed via complex financial layers. 

ED Searches Properties In Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh In Probe Into Chhangur Baba's Alleged Conversion Racket

According to top ATS sources, a team led by a deputy superintendent of police has been sent to Maharashtra to investigate properties worth over Rs 100 crore allegedly linked to Chhangur Baba's network. These properties, including high-value real estate in Pune, luxury apartments in Mumbai suburbs, and commercial establishments in Nagpur are suspected to have been purchased or encroached upon through benami transactions.  

Additionally, a Nagpur-based NGO and an operative identified as Idul Islam, a close associate of Chhangur, have come under intense scrutiny for their suspected roles in facilitating property deals and aiding the movement of illicit funds Preliminary findings suggest that the nagpur based NGO allegedly operated as a front for laundering money received through foreign donations and hawala transactions, while Idul Islam reportedly acted as a fixer and on-ground coordinator. 

Chhangur Baba had amassed multiple properties, including a lavish multi-storey complex in Utraula, Balrampur. The structure housed a madrasa, a purported hospital, and a religious school—none of which had legal sanction. Local government authorities demolished the illegally constructed building on July 6, 2025.