How a bicycle vendor built a Rs 106 crore illegal empire through religious conversion

Jamaluddin, also known as Chhangur Baba, who once sold rings and amulets on his bicycle, has now been exposed as the owner of an extensive financial empire worth over Rs 106 crore. This wealth, accumulated in 40 bank accounts and multiple high-value properties, mostly sourced from the Middle East, has come under scrutiny following his arrest in connection with a large-scale religious conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh.

The 48-year-old, arrested alongside his close associate Neetu (alias Nasreen) in Lucknow, is alleged to have masterminded a gang that exploited vulnerable sections of society, including labourers, widows, and the economically weak, through financial inducements, false promises, and coercion, bypassing legal procedures for religious conversions.

Investigations reveal that Jamaluddin’s rise from a humble seller to a village head and influential figure in Balrampur’s Rehra Mafi village was accompanied by the accumulation of significant assets, including at least two costly properties. One such property was recently demolished by authorities for being an illegal construction on government land near a local shrine, where plans to establish a hospital or educational institution remained unfulfilled.

His financial dealings have attracted the attention of several law enforcement agencies, including the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), the Special Task Force (STF), and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED is probing the source and purpose of the massive funds transferred primarily from Islamic countries in the Middle East, seeking to uncover any links to illicit or anti-national activities.

Further scrutiny has extended to individuals within government systems allegedly aiding Jamaluddin’s operations, while investigations continue into the extent of conversions carried out by his network. In addition to his properties in Uttar Pradesh, a high-value landholding in Maharashtra's Lonavala, purchased jointly with an associate, is under investigation, with financial transactions connected to a suspect under the scanner.