LUCKNOW: UP ATS arrested one Dheeraj Jagtap alias Dheeraj Deshmukh from Kanpur railway station on Friday for involvement in illegal religious conversions.
Dheeraj Jagtap is a native of Yavatmal in Maharashtra and converted to Islam ten years ago. IG ATS, GK Goswamy said they got a tip-off about Dheeraj. “Dheeraj became involved in conversion activities after adopting Islam 10 years ago,” the IG said.
The IG said three more arrested from Maharashtra for illegal religious conversions — Prasad Kanwre alias Adam, Kausar Alam and Arslan alias Bhupriya Bindo — also worked with Dheeraj Jagtap.
“Dheeraj had created Revert, Rehab, and Dawa WhatsApp Group through which he used to spread religious hatred, induce people to adopt Islam by giving various kinds of inducements,” said Goswamy. “Dheeraj is also the main member of coaccused Faraj Shah’s Dawa Group Islamic Youth Federation whose main function is to conduct conversion activities. He is also an active member of the country wide network of co-accused Umar Gautam and Kalim Siddiqui (both arrested in the past),” said the IG.
ATS sleuths said Dheeraj used to allegedly convert people by offerig them help. Dheeraj, along with Prakash Kaware also helped in making illegal documents. Facts of Dheeraj getting people converted on the pretext of getting a job have also surfaced. In June this year, ATS had busted an illegal conversion racket with the arrest of kingpin Umar Gautam, his accomplice Mufti Kazi Jahangir Qasmi.
Later its Nagpur syndicate was busted with the arrest of Rameshwar Kawre alias Adam, Kaushar Alam, and Bhuriya Bando alias Arslan Mustafa.
Others in the police net include Noida sign language interpreter Irfan Sheikh, Munna Yadav and Rahul Bhola. Gujarat businessman Salahuddin Jainuddin and a Maharashtra doctor Firoz Shah were also arrested. Last month, Meerut cleric Kalmeem Siddiqui was arrested and sent to jail.
