Unveiling Chhangur Baba’s Offshore Empire: From Panama to Mumbai

In a fresh twist to its ongoing money laundering probe against Chhangur Baba and his associates, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unearthed a complex offshore trail involving Panama-based shell companies, suspected to be vehicles for laundering illicit wealth and concealing real ownership. Seized documents also expose questionable real estate dealings involving the Rohra couple, key aides of Chhangur Baba, pointing to a meticulously layered financial operation aimed at disguising the proceeds of crime under the guise of religious and humanitarian fronts.

According to official records accessed by the Free Press Journal, among the documents seized during a search operation at M/s Baba Tajudding Aashvi Boutique in Subhash Nagar, Utraula, on July 17 were company papers related to M/s LOGOS MARINE, S.A., an offshore firm registered in Panama. The 14-page dossier includes a general power of attorney (GPA) issued by one Ariel Ricardo Padilla Gordon in favor of an accused individual, identified as Navin Rohra, a close associate of Chhangur Baba, effectively granting him operational authority over the firm.

The ED is probing whether LOGOS MARINE, S.A. the offshore was used to route or park unaccounted wealth generated through alleged illegal religious conversion operations. The use of a Panama-based structure has raised serious red flags, given Panama’s long-standing notoriety as a hub for financial secrecy, offshore laundering, and tax evasion.

Further scrutiny of records revealed that Navin Rohra is also listed as the president and director of another Panama-registered firm, Krishna Group S.A. Officials suspect that the involvement of both entities may point to a deliberate effort to create a complex web of offshore corporate structures to launder funds and disguise beneficial ownership.

“The presence of multiple Panama-based companies linked to the accused indicates a coordinated attempt to obscure financial trails and mask ownership of assets,” a senior official told FPJ on condition of anonymity.

In addition to the offshore trail, the agency also recovered an 18-page construction agreement signed between the accused Neetu Navin Rohra, Navin Rohra, and M/s AG Construction. The agreement is believed to be linked to real estate development projects allegedly funded through proceeds of crime (PoC), including funds suspected to be connected to religious conversion networks currently under scanner in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and other states.

In addition, the agency recovered multiple documents related to construction and legal disputes between the Rohras and M/s AG Construction, including a separate 20-page agreement detailing litigation over property ownership. Investigators believe these documents could provide crucial insights into the flow of funds, identifying benami assets, and unraveling layers of concealed ownership.

While the ED has not issued an official statement on the seizures so far, sources confirmed that the material forms part of a broader probe into a suspected money laundering racket involving shell companies, illicit real estate investments, and foreign donations channeled under the garb of religious outreach and humanitarian activities.

The investigation is now focused not just on offshore assets but also on the domestic footprint of the Rohra family, particularly in Mumbai and adjoining areas. Multiple high-value properties reportedly linked to the Rohras are being scrutinized for possible benami holdings and unexplained funding routes.

Crucially, the ED has also seized documents confirming that Navin Rohra and Neetu Rohra had formally converted to Islam. These include proclamations, affidavits, and conversion certificates. Officials believe these records could provide context to several financial dealings under examination, especially those tied to religious institutions and charitable fronts.

While ED has not issued an official statement on the seized records, sources confirmed that investigators are closely scrutinizing suspected fund layering, ownership trails, and the use of benami entities to acquire high-value assets. The documents form part of a broader probe into an alleged money laundering network involving shell companies, dubious real estate transactions, and offshore holdings, many of which are suspected to have been funded through foreign donations and financial channels disguised as religious outreach and humanitarian work.

The investigation is not limited to the Panama-based entities but also covers the domestic footprint of the accused Rohra family, including multiple properties in Mumbai and other locations across India.

The agency also recovered a no-objection affidavit signed by Neetu Rohra formally transferring the ownership of a commercial establishment named Aashvi Boutique, to Chhangur Baba. In a separate finding, a vehicle sale agreement surfaced showing the transfer of a vehicle from one Nasir Vadilal to Chhangur. Officials suspect that such transactions were part of a strategic pattern of asset diversion, where movable and immovable properties were routed through multiple individuals to disguise the original source of funds and real ownership.