On 19th April, the Maharashtra Police arrested a 30-year-old Bangladeshi transgender, Babu Ainal (some reports say Ayan) Khan alias Guru Maa alias Babu Hijra from Vashi. Babu Hijra is accused of kidnapping a 17-year-old boy from Govandi’s Shivajinagar with the help of an accomplice, Safde alias Jara, coercing him into begging and sexually exploiting him. The action by a team of local police and the Crime Branch came on the complaint lodged by the abducted boy’s father recently.
The Bangladeshi transgender fraud was arrested six months ago for illegally residing in Mumbai. During the probe, it emerged that despite being an illegal infiltrator, Babu Khan has bought properties in Mumbai worth lakhs of rupees.
The minor boy was rescued and reunited with his family, who were shocked to see their child dressed in women’s clothing. Initially, the boy was fearful and reluctant to reveal his ordeal and even claimed to have wished to live as a girl; however, gradually, the boy told the police about the systematic abuse and coercion he was subjected to between 10th March and 1st April 2026.
Now, Babu Khan has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the relevant provisions of the Transgender Persons Act. At present, Khan is under police custody and is being interrogated. The police are also investigating whether there is a wider criminal network that facilitated Khan’s illegal entry into India, Khan’s stay here, and the transfer of funds into Bangladesh.
Reports say that Babu Khan, who claims to be a transgender Guru, is known by multiple names like Guru Maa, Jyoti Maa, etc., and resides in lane number 9 near Babe Rehmat Masjid, Rafiq Nagar Part No. 2, Shivajinagar, Govandi. In Rafiqnagar, Khan commands over 300 ‘disciples’.
In Bangladesh, Babu Khan resided in Basatpur village. Khan’s arrest has resulted in the nabbing of several other Bangladeshi illegal infiltrators. The police have also uncovered a cross-border money trail leading to Bangladesh.
It has been found in the police investigation that Babu Khan has invested money made in India through illegal activities in real estate and commercial projects in Bangladesh. Although Khan has been illegally living in India for over three decades, he owns a residence and an under-construction shopping mall in Bangladesh.
“During the investigation, we have come across documents and photographs suggesting the accused constructed a house in Bangladesh using money earned here. We have also found images of a bhoomipujan ceremony for a mall project,” a senior official from the Mumbai Police said.
