ATS arrests 3 more from Nagpur in conversion case

Last month, the ATS had arrested six persons identified as Mufti Kazi Jahageer Kasmi, Mohammad Umar Gautam, Mannu Yadav alias Abdul Mannan, Irfan Sheikh, Rahul Bhola and Salauddin Sheikh. They were accused of running a “nationwide conversion racket”. Police said Umar Gautam was the brain behind the racket. The racket allegedly targeted women, the unemployed and poor by promising them good education, marriage, jobs, money and other things. Gautam and his associates are accused of collecting money through hawala route.

Among the three new arrests, Kaware, a graduate, was the focal point of the Maharashtra network and was part of a social media group used to convince people for conversion, claimed ADG Kumar. He and two others were allegedly in touch with Gautam and his associates.

Police added that because of his contacts in the Middle East and several Muslim countries, Kaware, whose wife is from Egypt, was involved with Islamic propaganda.

Police added that another accused, Alam, was an old associate of Gautam and involved in a seed business in several states. Police accused him of trying to convert people in Maharashtra, Karnataka and other states.

Alam had been taking part in a programme, Revert Get Together, organised by Gautam and Kaware, in the National Capital Region (NCR) since 2019, added police.

Another accused, Arsalan Mustafa, used to handle money collected by Gautam and his associates in Maharashtra.