In a significant development, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested Rajesh Upadhyay, a court clerk at the Balrampur District and Sessions Court, in connection with an ongoing investigation into illegal religious conversions. The arrest has drawn attention due to Upadhyay's ties to Changur Baba, a key figure involved in the case.
Details of the arrest
Rajesh Upadhyay's wife, Sangeeta Devi, is reportedly linked to Changur Baba’s network, which led to his arrest. According to the ATS, Changur and his associate, Naveen Rohera, had purchased 16 crore rupees worth of land in Pune’s Kunenama village. The land deal documents indicated that Sangeeta Devi was entitled to a share of the profits from this land. Sangeeta, who works as a clerk in the office of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJG) in Balrampur, is at the center of this land transaction, which ultimately led to the arrest of her husband, Rajesh Upadhyay.
Ongoing investigation
The arrest of Rajesh Upadhyay is part of the broader investigation into land dealings and illegal religious conversion activities tied to Changur Baba’s network. The ATS has made several arrests in connection with the case, and Rajesh is the latest individual to be apprehended. As of now, the ATS has arrested eight people related to the Changur Baba case.
Chronology of arrests in the Changur case
- In April, the ATS arrested Changur Baba’s son, Mahboob, and Naveen (also known as Jamaluddin) in connection with the illegal conversion case.
- On July 5, Changur Baba and Neetu (also known as Nasreen) were arrested in a hotel in Lucknow.
- On July 18, Rashid was arrested in Balrampur, followed by the arrests of Shihabuddin and Mo Sabroj on July 19.
- Rajesh Upadhyay was arrested on July 21.
Swiss bank accounts and international links
In a shocking revelation, the ATS discovered that Neetu had a bank account in Switzerland. According to their investigation, millions of rupees collected through illegal conversions in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Dubai, were transferred to Switzerland. Changur Baba, along with his close associates Neetu and Naveen, reportedly opened multiple bank accounts in Switzerland, linked to shell companies. Through these accounts, large sums of money were transferred internationally.
The ATS has uncovered evidence of money laundering involving 60 crore rupees across 22 bank accounts. Additionally, documents revealing 40 crore rupees in 10 properties have been seized. However, as of now, no direct links to Panama have been established.
The arrests and ongoing investigations by the Uttar Pradesh ATS have exposed a complex network of illegal conversions, financial irregularities, and international money transfers. As the probe continues, more arrests and revelations are expected, particularly concerning the extensive financial operations linked to the accused individuals. The ATS is working to trace the flow of illegal funds and the role of shell companies in facilitating these activities.
