The Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) on Friday informed that self-styled godman Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba received nearly Rs 500 crore in foreign funding over the past three years.

Out of this, Rs 200 crore has been officially validated, while Rs 300 crore was routed through Nepal using illegal hawala channels.

According to the agency, over 100 bank accounts were opened in Nepal’s border districts like Kathmandu, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi and Banke. The money was allegedly meant for religious conversions in India.

These accounts received funds from Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Agents in Nepal helped transfer this money to Chhangur, who is originally from Madhpur in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district, taking a 4-5% commission. In many cases, money was deposited using Cash Deposit Machines (CDMs).

The funds were brought into Indian districts like Balrampur, Shravasti, Bahraich and Lakhimpur, where local money exchangers converted Nepali currency to Indian rupees.

The authorities found that agents from Bihar districts such as Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Purnia, Kishanganj, Champaran and Supaul were also involved in smuggling funds from Nepal.

Ayodhya district received the highest amount of funding, where it is alleged that Hindu girls were converted to other religions. Authorities have begun examining 40 bank accounts linked to Chhangur and his aides.

The Anti-Terror Squad also asked for 10 years of income tax records. Investigators discovered Rs 34.22 crore in six accounts belonging to Naveen Rohra and Rs 13.90 crore in the accounts of a woman named Nasreen.

The investigators also informed that they are still looking into Chhangur’s suspected foreign bank accounts in Sharjah, Dubai or the UAE.

Moreover, a Rs 5 crore mansion built by Chhangur in Balrampur has been completely demolished. It was constructed illegally on government land. The 40-room bungalow, which had a marble security gate, was brought down in three days using 10 bulldozers.

Source: India Today