Bhubaneswar, Jul 31: A shocking conversion racket operating under the pretext of social service has been exposed, spanning across Odisha and West Bengal, with alleged international links to funding from the United States and Canada.

The mastermind behind the operation has been identified as Faiz Rahman, who has a history of criminal allegations, including a 2019 POCSO case at a shelter home in Dhenkanal.

The racket reportedly used residential hostels as a front for illegal religious conversions, targeting economically vulnerable and unsuspecting families. Investigations reveal that many shelter homes, including those under the name “Dream Center,” were operating without proper authorization from government departments. Children below the age of 18 were allegedly housed illegally, raising serious concerns about child rights violations.

According to reports submitted by district SPs to the State Women and Child Crime Prevention Wing, the organization received crores in foreign funding without FCRA clearance, violating the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. These funds were allegedly used not only for conversion activities but also linked to child trafficking, sexual exploitation, and even terror financing.

Faiz Rahman, along with five others named in a complaint filed at Nayagram police station in West Bengal, is accused of running unauthorized hostels and coercing minors into religious conversion. Despite earlier closures of some hostels in 2019, the same facilities have reportedly resumed operations under new names.

The Odisha government has directed all district SPs to investigate the matter thoroughly. The findings have revealed disturbing patterns of abuse, manipulation, and financial irregularities.

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