An exclusive investigation by India Today has brought to light grave allegations of a forced religious conversion and sexual exploitation network allegedly operating from a discreet lodge in Basti. The findings are based on detailed survivor testimony and extensive on-ground reporting, which together point to the lodge functioning as the operational nerve centre of the alleged racket.
According to the investigation, the accused repeatedly used a little-known lodging facility—locally referred to as a “publicing lounge”—to house and confine women without conducting any form of identity verification. The lodge reportedly had no reception counter, no Aadhaar or other ID checks, and no formal guest registers, effectively erasing any paper trail. Its internal design allegedly included cramped rooms, a room concealed within another room, and narrow passageways with multiple exit points, enabling quick escapes if scrutiny increased.
Despite being situated barely 50 metres from a police outpost, the lodge was allegedly used over a long period to detain women. The survivor told India Today that the location served as the base from which the accused coordinated the wider conversion network, keeping women there before coercing them to change their religion.
Information gathered locally during the reporter’s visit suggested that the lodge had been operational for several years, charging modest rents of about Rs 500–700 per room. The rooms were described as small and congested, with managers constantly present and the building designed with several exit routes, adding to suspicions about its intended use.
The survivor, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, said her first interaction with the accused occurred while she was employed at a hospital. She alleged that he approached her using a Hindu name, wearing a sacred thread, and presenting himself as Hindu. “That’s how it began,” she said, explaining that she later realised she was just one among many. She claimed that more than 350 women may have already been ensnared through similar tactics.
According to her account, victims were allegedly lured with promises of love, marriage, employment opportunities, or financial assistance. She said she had spoken to and met several affected women and possessed evidence showing how they were trapped. She further alleged that at least two women were missing and that their whereabouts remain unknown, while many others are too frightened to speak out.
Recounting her own experience, the survivor alleged sustained harassment, humiliation, and intimidation. She claimed the accused publicly insulted her, forced her to visit his home, and threatened to abduct her brother from school if she resisted. She also alleged that pressure to convert was relentless and that multiple members of the accused’s family participated in coercing women. “They promised marriages. Some girls agreed, and now no one knows where they are,” she said.
The investigation also alleges that the network relied heavily on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to identify and target women. The survivor claimed the accused and his associates operated across several cities and states, including Mumbai, and even had connections extending into Nepal. She further alleged that only Hindu women were targeted, while Muslim women were deliberately avoided.
In one particularly disturbing allegation, the survivor said she once caught the accused at the lodge with a 16-year-old girl who had been summoned there under the pretext of a job and financial help. She alleged the minor had been sexually assaulted and said she managed to rescue her and send her home, though the girl was too traumatised to approach authorities.
Raising serious concerns about law enforcement response, the survivor alleged that she approached the police multiple times but received little support. She claimed her statement was altered, charges were diluted, and video evidence she submitted was deleted. “My case was registered only after pressure,” she said, adding that although one accused has been arrested, his brother and other family members remain at large. She also alleged political influence and intimidation, claiming that those attempting to support victims were threatened.
The survivor said she continues to live under constant fear, receiving threats warning her against speaking out. “I am terrified. I am being told something terrible will happen if I continue,” she said, appealing to authorities for a comprehensive investigation and strict action against all those involved.
The investigation has also highlighted allegations against a female accomplice identified by the survivor as Shamim Bano, who is said to work as a college teacher in Sant Kabir Nagar. According to the survivor, the woman allegedly played a central role in luring and intimidating victims, making abusive phone calls, questioning their character, threatening them if they went to the police, and subjecting them to severe mental harassment.
A separate victim from Mumbai, who spoke to India Today by phone, has not come forward publicly due to fear. The survivor claimed that recordings exist in which the alleged accomplice verbally abused victims, called them “shameless” and a “prostitute,” questioned their morality, and even suggested self-harm.
Police have so far arrested one accused, while searches for other alleged members of the network are ongoing. The survivor alleged that many families may believe their daughters ran away voluntarily, whereas she claims they were forcibly taken and trapped through this alleged racket.
