TN outfit caught in UP conversion row
The investigation led by Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur police found that Jesus Readymade had transferred Rs 25 lakh into the bank account of one Padmanabhan, a resident of Tamil Nadu who was arrested from the area.
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SHAHJAHANPUR (UP): A Tamil Nadu-based organisation named ‘Jesus Readymade’ has emerged in the forefront of an investigation into the origin of Rs 4 crore allegedly transferred into bank accounts linked to members of the Christian community accused of involvement in alleged religious conversions.
The investigation led by Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur police found that Jesus Readymade had transferred Rs 25 lakh into the bank account of one Padmanabhan, a resident of Tamil Nadu who was arrested from the area. Four suspects have been detained in connection with the case, a senior police officer said on Monday.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Dwivedi said that during the investigation in Sidhauli, it was revealed that the bank account of Jesus Readymade was opened in 2017 with an initial transaction of Rs 4.6 crore. Authorities
A probe revealed that Jesus Readymade had transferred Rs 25 lakh into the bank account of a TN resident arrested from Sidhauli in Uttar Pradesh
are now investigating the total volume and purpose of transactions made through the account since then, he said.
According to Dwivedi, the organisation is suspected to have transferred funds not only in Shahjahanpur but also to other districts, and investigations in those areas are also under way.
So far, a total of 10 people have been arrested and sent to jail in five separate FIRs registered across different police stations in the district, including Ramchandra Mission, two cases in Sidhauli, one in Nigohi and two in Khutar, the police said.
Dwivedi said the police are closely analysing the financial transactions of all arrested individuals under the “money trail” investigation.
“We suspect the funds received in the Tamil Nadu organisation’s account may have originated from foreign sources,” he added.
Multiple teams, including the cyber cell, have been deployed to track the financial flows, and a breakthrough is expected soon, he added. The SP also informed that on Sunday, two persons of the community – Harishchandra (50) and his son Shailesh (25) – were taken into custody during a prayer meeting in Kumbhi village under Khutar police station.
