Uttar Pradesh: Is Shahjahanpur becoming a conversion hub? How Tamil Nadu-linked Christian organisations funnelled Rs 4 crore to convert Hindus – Multiple FIRs, Foreign funding and more

On 21st December, Shahjahanpur Police busted a Christian conversion racket in Kailashnagar colony in the Roza Police Station area. Four people, including a woman, have been arrested in the matter. According to media reports, around 200 people had gathered at a house. These people were lured with promises of money and marriage. The police acted on a complaint by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists and raided the house, where they found a prayer meeting, also known as a ‘changai sabha’, being conducted to convert Hindus to Christianity. OpIndia accessed a copy of the FIR in the matter.

What the FIR says

The FIR has been registered on the complaint of VHP functionary Ashneel Singh under Sections 131, 197, 352, and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act against Angel, Vivek, Vipin, Monu, and Ramadevi.

In his complaint, Ashneel said that at around 1 pm on Sunday, he was travelling on Mohammadi Road. He noticed a large crowd at Ramadevi’s house in Kailashnagar Colony under the Roza Police Station area. When he reached the spot, he found that a Christian prayer meeting was taking place at Ramadevi’s house. The people present there were abusing the Hindu religion and insulting Hindu deities by using derogatory language.

When Ashneel objected, Angel, Vivek, Vipin, Monu, and Ramadevi started hurling abuses at him and became aggressive. They attempted to assault him and issued death threats. Ashneel managed to escape and informed the police. When the police reached the spot, around 150 women fled the scene. A video of the meeting was submitted to the police by Ashneel.

When Ashneel questioned attendees of the meeting, they said that they were promised a large amount of money and assistance in getting married if they changed their religion.

Speaking to the media, the police said that they found a stage at Ramadevi’s house with a cross and other Christian items placed there. While four people have been arrested, Ramadevi managed to escape. Police are tracing her whereabouts.

Police are also examining call detail records (CDR) and probing the funding trail in the matter, including the possibility of foreign funding. Speaking to the media, police officials said a similar nexus was busted in July in Shahjahanpur and several people were arrested. In that case, Rs 4 crore worth of funding, including funds coming from abroad, had come to light. He said that Rs 48,000 of foreign funding (US Dollars) was being recieved by the main accused on daily basis.

5 FIRs, 4 crores of foreign funding, Tamil Nadu-linked Christian conversion racket busted in Shahjahanpur

On 13th July, a similar case surfaced in Shahjahanpur’s Sindhauli area. Acting on information about a suspicious gathering, members of the Hindu Yuva Vahini raided a house near a gurdwara. They found that a religious conversion operation was taking place at the location.

When Hindu Yuva Vahini members reached the spot, several people fled. However, six individuals were caught and later taken into police custody. Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi confirmed that the detained individuals were questioned and that their bank accounts were examined to trace financial transactions and possible foreign funding. Police said the initial probe indicated that people were being mobilised on religious lines and encouraged to convert through inducements, prompting a deeper investigation.

The 13th July case was just the beginning. At least five FIRs were registered in the following days linked to this case. Media reports suggested that at least Rs 4 crore of funding was recieved by the main accused in the case and the conversion racket was being operated from Tamil Nadu.

OpIndia accessed three FIRs and court documents, and spoke to the then district convenor of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, Thakur Raghvendra Singh.

How the case unfolded – Exploring FIRs

It all started with the first FIR on 13th July 2025 at Sindhauli police station. The FIR was registered on the complaint of Raghvendra Singh under Sections 5(1) and 3 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act. In his complaint, Raghvendra said that he received information about religious conversion activities being carried out by Christian missionaries at a house located in the eastern direction opposite the Sindhauli gurdwara.

Based on the information, Raghvendra immediately reached the spot with members of the Hindu Yuva Vahini and informed the police. Acting on the information, police apprehended several individuals from inside the house who were involved in carrying out or facilitating religious conversions. The accused named in the FIR include Prahlad Singh, Mukesh Balmiki, Gurdas Balmiki, Anshneet Kumar Rathore, Kiran, Anshi Devi, Sana, Bimla Devi, Aarti, Rajwati, and others.

Raghvendra said that a bag recovered from Anshneet contained a Bible, Christian religious material, an Aadhaar card, and photographs. Several other associates managed to flee the scene. Though Padmnaman has not been named as an accused directly in this FIR, he is the husband of accused Kiran and father of Anshi Devi. Padmnaman was arrested by the police as he was recieving funding from Tamil Nadu-based Christian missionaries organisations. Following the FIRs, a bail order has been discussed in this report where role of Padmnaman has been described in detail along with the funding detials.

Furthermore, Raghvendra mentioned one room inside the house that was found locked at the time of the raid and said that it might contain material hostile to Hindu beliefs, requesting the police to carry out a detailed inspection.

The second FIR

The second FIR in the sequence was registered at Khutar police station on 27th July, based on a complaint filed by Avnish Mishra, a member of the Hindu Yuva Vahini. The FIR was registered under Sections 352 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act against Harishchandra Jatav and his son Shailesh.

In his complaint, Avnish said he received information about religious conversion activities being carried out at a house in Kumbiya Mafi village, where Hindu women and men were being lured with monetary inducements to convert to Christianity. Acting on the information, he, along with other members of the organisation, reached the spot. They found that Harishchandra was hosting the prayer meeting at his residence and that around 30 to 40 Hindu women and men were attending the meeting. They were being persuaded to abandon Hinduism and embrace Christianity.

When they raised objections, the accused abused them and issued death threats. Avnish said the accused claimed they were receiving foreign funding to carry out conversions and had already converted several hundred Hindus. A local resident told Avnish that he was offered Rs 50,000 to convert to Christianity.

During the raid, police recovered Bibles, Christian prayer material, and other literature related to Christianity from the spot. An investigation has been initiated, including scrutiny of possible external funding linked to the accused.

The third FIR

The third FIR in the case was also registered on 27th July on the complaint of Raghvendra Singh under Sections 131 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act against Hemraj Pasi, Om Pal, Laungshri, Ladli, and 20 to 25 unknown persons.

According to Raghvendra, he received information about religious conversion activities being carried out in the Chena Ruriya area. When he, along with other members of the organisation, reached the spot, they found that Hemraj, Om Pal, Laungshri, Ladli, and others were carrying out conversions of Hindus by inducement and coercion.

When objections were raised, the accused assaulted them with sticks and injured several members of the Hindu Yuva Vahini. The accused also claimed that they were receiving Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, with promises of earning more. They threatened the villagers accompanying members of the Hindu Yuva Vahini that they would be implicated in false cases. They openly claimed that they had “settings” with the police and that no one could harm them. Based on these allegations, police registered the FIR and initiated legal proceedings against the named and unidentified accused.

What Raghvendra told OpIndia

Speaking to OpIndia, Raghvendra said that the conversion activities in Sindhauli were not recent incidents but had been going on in an organised manner for a long time. He said, “This was not something that started suddenly. It has been going on for almost a year, and in some cases even for four to six years.”

According to him, the accused initially held meetings in rented premises. However, they later purchased land and constructed a house specifically for this purpose. He added, “People were told that it was a satsang. Poor and less educated labour-class families, especially women, were deliberately targeted because they could be easily influenced.”

He further said that monetary inducements were used to gather women at these meetings. He said, “Women were offered Rs 500 to attend, and those who brought other women were also paid Rs 500.” Furthermore, the women who attended these meetings were told that worshipping Jesus Christ would help them conceive. He added, “When a child was eventually born, it was projected as proof of that belief.”

The shocking allegation of ‘entertainment classes’

Raghvendra also made a shocking revelation about the conversion nexus in the region. He said that young people were lured to attend ‘manoranjan class’ or ‘entertainment classes’ where they were made to participate in dance and similar activities to gradually alter their mindset. He said, “What was initially told to us by the informant was about these entertainment classes.” These classes were part of the conversion process.

Raghvendra said these sessions were organised separately from the prayer meetings and were aimed only at younger participants. Young boys and girls were made to dance and were told to do so freely, without worrying about clothes or decorum, he said. According to him, participants were encouraged to let go of inhibitions, which he alleged created an atmosphere of emotional and moral vulnerability. “Once that stage was reached, they would tell them to choose whatever they felt like doing. This was completely wrong and unacceptable,” Raghvendra said, adding that these activities were designed to gradually influence and manipulate those attending the gatherings.

However, when the police raided the place, such activities were not taking place at the time and were not mentioned in the FIRs or court documents. OpIndia could not independently verify whether these activities were taking place before the individuals involved in the conversion nexus were arrested.

The revelation of funding

Raghvendra further said that scrutiny of the bank accounts of the arrested individuals later revealed transactions amounting to approximately Rs 4.25 crore. He said, “As we went deeper, it emerged that such activities were taking place at nearly 200 locations across the district.” He added that while the case is currently pending before the court, “information about similar activities continues to surface every now and then.”

Raghvendra also praised the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, for a firm administrative and political stand against unlawful religious conversions. He said, “This became possible only because of Maharaj Yogi Adityanath ji. His clear stand has strengthened action on the ground.” He added that such cases were earlier ignored but are now being taken seriously by investigating agencies.

Referring to recent judicial observations, Raghvendra said that the High Court has also taken a strong view on the issue of religious conversions in the state. “The High Court has clearly said that if someone carries out religious conversion, they should not be entitled to reservation or government benefits. No facilities should be extended to them,” he said.

According to him, these developments have emboldened people to come forward with information and resist such activities. “The message is clear now. Protecting Sanatan Dharma is the priority, and action will follow wherever violations are found,” Raghvendra added.

Court denied bail to Padmnaman alias Pastor Joshua

OpIndia also came across a bail order where the Shahjahanpur District and Sessions Court denied bail to Padmnaman alias Pastor Joshua. The bail was rejected on 11th August 2025 by the court of Additional Sessions Judge Ashish Verma, Shahjahanpur,

The court noted that the bail application had been filed by Padmnaman alias Padmanavan alias Pastor Joshua and his wife Kiran Joshua, both of whom were lodged in district jail in connection with the case. The prosecution case, as recorded in the order, stems directly from the first FIR registered on 13th July 2025 on the complaint of Hindu Yuva Vahini district president Raghvendra Singh. The FIR stated that Christian missionaries were carrying out religious conversions by inducement at a house located opposite the Sindhauli gurdwara, following which Padmnaman, his wife Kiran, and several others were apprehended from inside the premises.

The bail order records that during the raid, a bag belonging to Padmnaman and Kiran was recovered containing a Bible, other Christian religious material, Aadhaar cards, and photographs. The court further relied on the case diary, which stated that Padmnaman, originally a resident of Tamil Nadu, had received substantial funds for conversion-related activities. Bank records showed that Rs 25,75,642.99 was credited to Padmnaman’s Bank of Baroda account from organisations including Jesus Redeems Missionary, Missionary UP Holder Trust, and The Pocket Testament League. The order also noted multiple high-value transactions, including UPI transfers from Mumbai-based digital accounts.

In addition, the court observed that Rs 4,76,029 had been credited to the bank account of Padmnaman’s wife Kiran Joshua from the same missionary organisations. The order recorded that Kiran was originally a Hindu woman who converted to Christianity after coming into contact with Padmnaman, a fact reflected in the case diary and supporting documents. Independent witness statements cited in the order alleged that Padmnaman, Kiran, and co-accused Ashneet Kumar Rathore were organising weekly prayer meetings in Hindu-majority areas with the objective of converting poor and vulnerable villagers through inducement.

Taking note of the seriousness of the allegations, the documented financial trail, and the wider social impact of the alleged activities, the court held that the offence was of a grave nature. Without entering into the merits of the case, the court concluded that there was no sufficient ground to release the accused on bail and accordingly rejected the bail application of Padmnaman alias Pastor Joshua and Kiran Joshua.

The organisations from which funding was received

Jesus Redeems Ministries

One of the organisations whose name has surfaced in the funding trail of the Shahjahanpur conversion cases is Jesus Redeems Ministries, an evangelical Christian outfit led by Tamil Nadu based preacher Mohan C Lazarus. The ministry’s own literature claims that Lazarus experienced a miraculous healing after embracing Christianity, a narrative that forms the ideological foundation of the organisation’s outreach. It repeatedly foregrounds illness, suffering, healing, and deliverance, themes that have figured prominently in several conversion related cases as tools used to emotionally influence vulnerable individuals and families.

The organisation claims to conduct large scale prayer campaigns, fasting prayers, all night prayer sessions, and so-called deliverance festivals, while actively propagating Christianity through magazines, television broadcasts, emails, and organised outreach. Of particular concern is its stated focus on children, teenagers, youth, and women as distinct target groups for evangelism. The inclusion of children in structured, conversion focused campaigns raise serious questions about consent, vulnerability, and ethical boundaries, especially in a country where religious freedom laws explicitly prohibit conversions through inducement, coercion, or the exploitation of minors.

Police records and court documents in the Shahjahanpur case show that funds linked to Jesus Redeems Ministries were credited to the bank accounts of individuals accused of facilitating unlawful religious conversions

The organisation also claims to operate an extensive network of “World Revival Prayer Centres” across India. Its footprint spans Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Punjab, Puducherry, Delhi, and Tamil Nadu. Centres are listed in cities such as Chittoor and Tirupati, Secunderabad, multiple locations in Bengaluru, Hassan, Mysuru, Tumkur, KGF, Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai’s Dharavi and Malad, Ranchi, Chandigarh, Puducherry, and New Delhi. In Tamil Nadu alone, the organisation lists at least ten centres, including Adambakkam, Ambattur, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Egmore, Purasawalkam, Royapuram, Shanthi Nilayam, Tambaram, and Tiruvallur.

Mission Upholders Trust

Another organisation that has surfaced during the probe into the Shahjahanpur conversion cases is Mission Upholders Trust, a Tamil Nadu based body headquartered in Vellore. The trust presents itself as a support organisation for missionaries and pastors, stating in its mission declaration that it works to address what it calls the “unmet needs” of the missionary community. These include healthcare, bereavement and crisis care, emotional and spiritual renewal, rest and recuperation, and the social and spiritual “enhancement” of missionaries’ children and retired missionaries.

According to its own stated objectives, Mission Upholders Trust seeks to “equip, energise and encourage” missionaries so that they may continue to function as “salt and light of the society at all times”. While the language is framed as welfare oriented, the emphasis on sustaining, strengthening, and expanding missionary activity inevitably raises questions when such organisations appear in the financial trail of unlawful conversion cases. The trust’s stated focus is not on general public welfare but specifically on enabling missionaries to continue and deepen their religious outreach.

Official records show that Mission Upholders Trust is FCRA registered, allowing it to legally receive foreign contributions. Financial disclosures indicate that the trust received Rs 49,52,936 in the financial year 2023–24 and Rs 56,53,856.76 in 2022–23 as foreign funding.

Taken together, the arrests, multiple FIRs, court findings, and the documented financial trail point to a far deeper and more organised operation than an isolated incident of unlawful conversion. What emerges from Shahjahanpur is a pattern involving inducements, repeated gatherings, coordinated activity across police station limits, and money flows linked to Tamil Nadu based missionary organisations receiving foreign funds. While authorities are swiftly acting against the missionaries involved in the conversion nexuses in the district, the sheer amount of conversions happening raise serious concerns that need much deeper investigation.