Project, kajal, deedar: Chhangur Baba's codewords for conversion revealed
The revelations are part of a larger investigation into a well-funded conversion syndicate. Chhangur Baba is already under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged money laundering and accumulation of illegal wealth estimated at over Rs 100 crore. The ED believes he used foreign donations, much of it routed through illegal hawala channels via Nepal, to fund mass conversions, particularly targeting underprivileged Hindu communities.Authorities allege Chhangur Baba operated from the Chand Auliya Dargah and had opened over 100 bank accounts across India and Nepal. Nearly Rs 500 crore in foreign funding was received over three years, with Rs 300 crore allegedly funneled in illegally through border districts like Kathmandu and Banke, and Rs 200 crore verified through official routes. These funds are suspected to have come from Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE.The ATS arrested Chhangur Baba and his close aide Neetu alias Nasreen on July 5 from a hotel in Lucknow. Both remain in custody. Investigators found 40 bank accounts holding Rs 106 crore linked to Chhangur and are examining digital devices to trace his financial and communication network.The state government has begun cracking down on properties linked to the accused. A Rs 5 crore, 40-room mansion illegally built by Chhangur Baba in Balrampur was razed using bulldozers, while other assets in Bahraich and surrounding districts are also under scrutiny.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has labelled Chhangur Baba's activities as anti-national.The ATS, ED and central agencies like the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are now collaborating to map the full extent of his operation, both in India and abroad.- EndsMust Watch
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Indian Express
19 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Purchased' honorary titles, international web of shell firms: How Ghaziabad conman operated fake embassy for 9 yrs
A pristine white bungalow, four flashy sedans with blue and white diplomatic number plates parked in the driveway, national flags from across the world and a man posing as an 'ambassador'. When Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force (STF) raided the 'Embassy of Westarctica' in Ghaziabad's upscale Kavi Nagar neighbourhood earlier this week, they came across an elaborate con job. Far from an an ordinary swindler, Harsh Vardhan Jain, the accused, had been running a fake embassy of a country that doesn't exist, without raising any suspicion for the last nine years. Jain had planned every detail meticulously to build this façade, according to the police. He had allegedly printed fake press cards, doctored photos with top dignitaries and even 'purchased' honorary titles from self-proclaimed micronations. The preliminary investigation, police say, has revealed that Jain was running a multi-nation scam. How did Jain manage to execute such a fraud, undetected for years, right beneath the vigilant gaze of the local Ghaziabad Police is yet to be revealed. How Jain's fake embassy operation was finally exposed is also unknown. According to the UPSTF, Jain is a Ghaziabad-born MBA graduate who claims to have studied in London. His father, JD Jain, was a once reputed industrialist, with marble export businesses operating in Rajasthan. In the early 2000s, Jain reportedly came in contact with self-styled godman Chandraswami, who allegedly introduced him to arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi and Ehsan Ali Syed, another conman posing as a businessman who was convicted in a fraud case in Switzerland. With their help, Jain is said to have established more than a dozen companies in Dubai, London, and Mauritius — many of them shell firms used to collect 'brokerage' for jobs and promises of huge loans before duping them. After a few years in London and Dubai, Jain allegedly returned to India in 2011 and began projecting himself as a diplomat. Police say he leveraged honorary titles from unrecognised micronations — Seborga, Westarctica, and Lodonia — to set up a fake embassy in his Ghaziabad home. He had also been posing as the ambassador of a fictional nation called Poulvia. When STF officers entered the Kavi Nagar bungalow on July 22, they found what appeared to be a diplomatic mission: cars with blue number plates bearing phrases like 'Honorary Consul – Baron Westarctica', flags of different nations on the property, and signages that were creating the illusion of official legitimacy. Inside, they recovered over Rs 44 lakh in Indian currency, foreign currency from the United Kingdom, United States, United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, 20 sets of fake diplomatic number plates, 34 stamps and seals of various fake entities,12 passports (some from unrecognized nations), Fake IDs including press cards and two PAN cards, a laptop, phone, and over a dozen luxury watches. Jain had been running the operation, STF officials said, by posing as a diplomatic representative allegedly by using the fake IDs and doctored photos. His setup included 'morphed' images showing him with late President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among other leaders, in an attempt to look credible. Through this lavish setup, he had allegedly been luring individuals and companies with promises of jobs and international business deals. To outsiders, the 'embassy' appeared credible, complete with red and green diplomatic license plates and signage that implied ties with multiple global institutions. Officials said he even issued bogus 'diplomatic passports' from micronations and collected money as 'fees' with promises of providing employment in these micronations. Micronations are self-proclaimed countries not recognised by any sovereign state. While any associations with these micronations are often symbolic, Jain had allegedly used his associations with them to create an aura of legitimacy. Seborga, one of the micronations of which he had been posing as an ambassador, is a self-declared principality in Italy. In its statement, it said that it appointed Jain as an honorary councilor in good faith after he had contacted them. The statement also clarified that it was a symbolic post with no legal or diplomatic standing. 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In a detailed response to questions asked by The Indian Express, Ladonia's Press Officer, Julia Andersson, said Jain became a 'symbolic citizen' on November 12, 2016, and had 'purchased' an honorary barony title. The micronation alleged that in November 2017, Jain had forged a certificate falsely claiming to be Ladonia's Ambassador to India, backdating it to September 15, 2016, in an attempt to predate the symbolic appointment of another Indian individual and had been 'harrassing' its officials by spamming them with texts and mails requesting for Ladonian paraphernalia, a request that was denied by the micronation. According to STF and police officials, Jain's network spanned multiple countries. He alleegdly maintained 11 bank accounts in the UK, UAE, Mauritius, and India; set up shell firms like Island General Trading Co. 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Further investigation is on into his multiple PAN cards, international accounts, and fake documentation.
The Hindu
21 minutes ago
- The Hindu
‘Ayodhya Ram Mandir' exhibition shut down after objections from Hindu organisations
Following a string of controversies surrounding it, the 'Ayodhya Ram Mandir', model featuring in a commercial exhibition on the Beach Road has been shut down in the city on Saturday (July 26). The scheduled event of 'Sree Seetha Rama Kalyanam' on July 29 was also reportedly called off after serious objections from the members of the Sadhu Parishad and Hindu organisations. It may be remembered that the controversy began when the exhibition organisers reportedly announced plans to conduct 'Sree Seetha Rama Kalyanam' on July 29, charging around ₹3,000 a ticket for a couple. They also allegedly claimed that priests from Bhadrachalam would be participating in the event. In response to their advertisement, the Bhadrachalam Devasthanam responded to the unauthorised use of their name and stated that they are not attending any such event. A formal complaint was submitted to the Endowments Department, which in turn approached the local police. Subsequently, the III Town Police served notices on the organisers. A few days ago, Andhra Pradesh Sadhu Parishad members inspected the model and raised serious objections about the commercialisation of the temple. They strongly objected at collection of ₹50 entry fees and additional charges for prasadams, stalls and sponsorships. They also condemned the plan to conduct a paid 'Sree Seetha Rama Kalyanam' and also warned to stage a protest if the management organises the Kalyanam, charging money.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Bail pleas rejected in QR code scam case
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