Religious conversion racket: UP ATS arrests two associates of Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui

In a recent update to illegal religious conversion case, Uttar Presh Anti-Terrorism Squ (ATS) has arrested two people identified as Mohamm Idrees Qureshi and Mohamm Salim from Muzaffarnagar. accused arrested are known to be associates of Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, who was arrested earlier in connection to case. 

According to Uttar Presh ATS, Siddiqui told in interrogation that y used to get a lot of money from operatives abro for religious conversions. While Atif alias Kunal Chowdhary who was one of Siddiqui's associates working for past 2 years, was arrested from Anand Nagar area of Nashik.

UP ATS arrests Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui

On September 22, Islamic scholar Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui was arrested by Uttar Presh Anti-Terrorist Squ over charges of religious conversion. 64-year-old Islamic scholar is one of biggest clerics from western UP whose name popped up during investigation into Umar Gautam case. He was nabbed in Meerut and is currently being interrogated by UP Police. He was on rar of security agencies due to suspicious activities.

dressing press conference, Uttar Presh G (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar, h informed, "Investigation shows Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui runs Jamia Imam Waliullah trust that funds several mrassas for which he received huge foreign funding. Investigation shows Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui’s trust received Rs 3 crores in foreign funding, including Rs 1.5 from Bahrain. Six teams of ATS have been formed to investigate this case". 

While Aam Ami Party MLA from Delhi’s Okhla, Amanatullah Khan, who was participating in Shaheen Bagh protests, termed  arrest “atrocity on Muslims.”

Illegal religious conversion 

Uttar Presh police in June h arrested Umar Gautam along with eight ors for allegedly running a religious conversion racket. Following arrest, UP Police h informed that  racket involved conversion of deaf children and women to Islam and more than 1,000 people were converted. Police statement furr said that more than a dozen deaf and dumb children in Noida were also converted. police said that during interrogation, arrested accused confessed to converting nearly 250 to 300 people every year.

(With ANI inputs)

(Image: PTI)