ED Raids 14 Locations in Connection with Conversion and Hawala Transactions; Interrogation of Shehzad Sheikh Underway. Foreign Accounts of Chhangur Baba Also Identified.
Chhangur Baba Conversion: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted simultaneous raids at a total of 14 locations, including Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai, in connection with the Chhangur Baba case, which is linked to serious allegations of religious conversion and hawala transactions. The investigation agency has initiated questioning of Shehzad Sheikh, a resident of Mumbai, whose account is suspected to have received approximately two crore rupees. The ED suspects that illegal funding through a hawala network was used to carry out conversion activities across the country.
Simultaneous Action in Balrampur and Mumbai
The ED raids commenced on July 17 at approximately 5 AM. Search operations were conducted simultaneously at 12 locations in the Utraula area of Balrampur district in Uttar Pradesh and at 2 locations in Mumbai. ED officials stated that this action was taken after obtaining information about a detailed money trail. The investigation agency suspects that organized conversions were carried out in several parts of India through illegal funding.
Raids and Interrogation at Shehzad Sheikh's Mumbai Locations
The investigation revealed that approximately two crore rupees were transferred from the bank account of an accused named Naveen to the account of Shehzad Sheikh. Based on this, the ED raided Shehzad's homes located in the Kanakia Paris Apartment in Bandra East and Rizvi Heights in Mahim West, Mumbai.
The ED team is questioning Shehzad Sheikh at his residence in Bandra. It is reported that several suspicious documents, bank records, and digital evidence have been recovered from Shehzad. All of this evidence suggests that he may be part of a larger network operating through hawala channels.
Chhangur Baba at the Center of Investigation into the Conversion Racket
Chhangur Baba is accused of running an organized conversion racket, in which a large amount of money was transacted through hawala. The ED's investigation is focused on this money trail, seeking to determine the source of the funds, the channels through which they were transferred, and the purposes for which they were spent. According to sources, this racket was not limited to the local level but may have involved several cities across the country and some international networks.
Evidence of Bank Accounts Found Abroad
During the investigation, the ED found evidence that Chhangur Baba also has bank accounts abroad. The foreign accounts that have been identified so far include banks in Sharjah, Dubai, and the UAE. These accounts were found in the following banks:
- Axis Bank in Sharjah and Dubai
- HDFC Bank in the UAE
- Emirates NBD Bank
- Federal Bank (Vostro Account)
The ED team is working to determine when and how much money was transferred through these accounts and where it was used.
Funding Network May Be Spread Across the Country
The agency suspects that Chhangur Baba's network is not limited to UP or Mumbai. The funds received through hawala may have been used to conduct conversion campaigns across the country, establish institutions, and disseminate promotional materials.
In this connection, ED teams may now become active in other states as well. There is a possibility of questioning and investigation of the properties of those whose names may be linked to this network.
ED Team Collecting Electronic and Financial Evidence
The ED team seized several computers, mobile phones, documents, and bank records from the 12 locations raided in Balrampur. These will now be sent for forensic examination to determine how they were used in various activities.
Digital data is also being examined from Mumbai. Initial investigations suggest that money transfers may have been made through crypto wallets, fake accounts, and bogus companies.
