Mirzapur Conversion Racket Mastermind Imran Khan Arrested From Delhi Airport On His Way To Dubai

Kanpur: The Delhi Police has arrested the key accused in the Mirzapur religious conversion racket, Imran Khan, from the airport. The police said that he was just about to flee to Dubai with his family when he was apprehended on Friday. Khan was subsequently handed over to the Uttar Pradesh Police, and he will be taken into custody for questioning.

Speaking at a press conference after the arrest, Mirzapur Senior Superintendent of Police Somen Verma said that illegal religious conversions were being carried out by gym owners and gym trainers, involving multiple victims. This has led to two cases being registered at the Kotwali Dehat police station.

The police have recovered substantial evidence during the investigation, he said adding that an investigation is ongoing. KGN and Iron Fire are the two main gym chains involved, the SSP added.

The SSP said that several vehicles were recovered from Imran Khan's possession, which he allegedly used to influence girls. It has been found that Imran's office is registered in Kanpur, and one of his offices have been sealed by the police. 

Imran has traveled to several other countries, besides Dubai, SSP Verma said, adding that a team has been formed to investigate the case.

A lookout notice was issued against Imran Khan, and a reward of Rs. 25,000 was also announced. The Mirzapur police had even alerted all airports, ports, and other land borders to prevent Imran Khan from leaving the country.

“The police have achieved a major success in this entire case. Imran was caught at the Delhi airport while trying to flee to Dubai with his family. Delhi Police handed Imran over to Mirzapur Police. He will be taken into custody for questioning soon. So far, seven people have been arrested. A team has been formed for the investigation, which will investigate every crucial detail related to Imran. The angle of foreign funding is also being investigated. Several luxury cars have been seized from Imran. Several properties have also been recovered. He was operating an office in Mirzapur that was registered in Kanpur. It has also been revealed that Imran has traveled to several countries multiple times, in addition to Dubai,” SSP Somen Verma said speaking to Republic.

Ashfaq alias Lucky, a member of KGN 2.0 gym, is still at large and is being sought by the police. The investigation started off after complaints filed by two girls from the Rural Kotwali area who claimed that they were lured, sexually exploited, and pressured into conversion under the guise of gym training. 

According to reports, those arrested so far have been identified as Mohammad Sheikh Ali Alam, Faisal Khan, Zaheer, and Shadab. The FIR mentioned that a woman was allegedly befriended by gym trainer Sheikh Ali during her workout and then lured her into a relationship. 

Some police sources had earlier indicated that an Islamic flag was found hoisted on the roof of Imran Khan's residence. The house, a luxurious three-storey building, is located in Barodha near the PAC gate under the Katra Kotwali area. 

Investigators have scrutinized Imran Khan's travel history as part of the probe. Police have also indicated that Imran Khan had connections with prominent high profile political figures in the area. A photograph of Khan with members from various ruling party leaders recently went viral on social media.

Earlier, Head Constable Irshad, also an accused in the alleged religious conversion case, was arrested. Police sources claimed that Irshad was also involved in arranging funding for a gym that is under investigation.

During the initial investigation, police found photographs of around 50 girls. Officials said that the accused communicated with each other through WhatsApp. It is being suspected that five other Hindu girls were reportedly trapped by gym trainers, prompting authorities to intensify their investigation. Recently, a video from the KGN 2.0 Gym in Mirzapur surfaced online, purportedly showing a dance party rather than exercise at the space. 

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