SRINAGAR: A chargesheet has been filed against Gujarat conman Kiran Bhai Patel, acting as PMO official, before a Chief Judicial Magistrate here on Tuesday, officials said.

They told GNS that the chargesheet against the accused was filed under FIR number 19/2023 of Police Station Nishat.

The sections under which the charge sheet was filed, as per officials included; 419, 420, 468, 471, 170, 120B of IPC and Sections 3, 5 of Emblem & Names (Previously of improper use) Act 1950.

“The accused continues to remain lodged in central Jail, Srinagar”, they further said. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested a man from Gujarat in connection with a fake PMO official case registered in Srinagar.

Official sources said lthat a man identified as Piyush Bhai, son of Kanti Bhai, a resident of Ahmedabad Gujarat, state was arrested from his Printing press ‘Akanksha Creation’ at Gujarat for making fake visiting cards of Kiran Bhai Patel, who conned the security establishment in Kashmir allegedly by forged means posing as Additional Director (Strategy & Campaigns) Prime Minister's Office, New Delhi. Piyush was arrested in connection with FIR no 19 of 2023 registered at police station Nishat Srinagar.  

Kiran Bhai Patel, a resident of Gujarat was arrested with ten fake visiting cards and two mobile phones by a team of Srinagar police at Hotel Lalit in Srinagar on specific input received by CID wing of J&K Police. Accordingly, an FIR number 19 of 2023 was registered at Police Station Nishat and investigation was taken up.

It was first Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com that broke this story “Srinagar police in a high profile case, have arrested this conman, a resident of ‘Gujarat’ allegedly by forged means posing as Additional Director (Strategy & Campaigns) Prime Minister’s Office, New Delhi, at Hotel Lalit in Srinagar on specific input received by CID wing of J&K Police.”

The conman had taken the J&K administration and security structure for a ride by securing Z-plus security cover, a bulletproof Mahindra Scorpio SUV, accommodation at a five-star hotel, and a lot more.

A police team of SP East Srinagar, SDPO Nehru Park, SHO Nishat are leading the investigation of this high profile case.

While the Police investigations are going on, the J&K government on March 29 ordered an inquiry to probe into various aspects related to visits of Kiran Bhai Patel to Kashmir during the past months and security arrangements made during his visit.

As per the government order, the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri has been appointed as inquiry officer to inquire into the matter.

"The inquiry officer shall identify the lapses on the part of the officers and officials concerned and submit a detailed report to the government," reads an order issued by Additional Chief Secretary Home Department, Raj Kumar Goyal. (KDC)

SRINAGAR: After completing the investigation, Gujarat police on Monday handed over the custody of Kiran Bhai Patel who posed as a fake ‘PMO official’ in Kashmir, to Srinagar police for further investigation of the high profile case registered against him.

Reliable sources told news agency Kashmir Dot Com that after completing the investigation by Ahmedabad Crime Branch, the Gujarat police on Monday handed over the custody of Kiran Bhai Patel to police station Nishat in Srinagar for further investigation of the high profile case. Patel will be sent to central jail Srinagar as per the orders of a local here.

A senior police officer also confirmed that Kiran Patel was handed back to Srinagar police.

Kiran was handed over to a team of Gujarat police on court directions for investigation of a case registered against him at Ahmedabad Crime Branch.

It was first Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com that broke this story “Srinagar police in a high profile case, have arrested this conman, a resident of ‘Gujarat’ allegedly by forged means posing as Additional Director (Strategy & Campaigns) Prime Minister's Office, New Delhi, at Hotel Lalit in Srinagar on specific input received by CID wing of J&K Police.”

An FIR number 19 of 2023 was registered by Srinagar police in Police Station Nishat reads “on 02-03-2023 a reliable information received by Police Station Nishat has revealed that a fraudster namely Kiran Bhai Patel son of Jagdesh Bhai Patel resident of Gujarat has by virtue of criminal intention indulged in activities within the jurisdiction of this police station and other parts of Kashmir valley and by employing high degree of forged means. Kiran Bhai has impersonated himself as a senior government official of India.”

"The Individual, by resorting to cheating, forgery and impersonation has duped gullible people and also intentionally induced people to do and also to omit to do activities, under a well-knit plan for securing monetary as well as material benefits, " reads the FIR.

The imposter had taken the J&K administration and security structure for a ride by securing Z-plus security cover, a bulletproof Mahindra Scorpio SUV, official accommodation at a five-star hotel, and a lot more.

As per reports Patel who by forged means was able to get security from the Jammu and Kashmir police and was staying at Hotel Lalit in Room no 1107. The ‘fraudster’ had visited multiple places in Kashmir including Doodpatri in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, Gulmarg and Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla.

Jammu and Kashmir police had formed a three-member team headed by SP East Srinagar to investigate the case against alleged impersonator from Gujarat Kiran Bhai Patel.

J&K Home Department had also initiated an inquiry and appointed Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, IAS, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, as Inquiry Officer to inquire into the various aspects related to the visits of Shri Kiran Patel to Kashmir during the past months and security arrangements made thereof.

The officer was asked to identify the lapses on the part of the Officers/ Officials concerned and submit a detailed report within one week. The time of inquiry had passed, but no information was provided by the government so far.

The Gujarat police had taken custody of Ahmedabad-based Kiran Patel, in an FIR days after he was arrested by the J&K Police for apparently pulling off one of the biggest cons in the history of Jammu and Kashmir and is wanted in at least four cases in his home state Gujarat.

On Monday, Patel was handed back to Nishat police station for further investigations of the case. (KDC)

SRINAGAR: A court in Srinagar has ordered “preliminary enquiry” into an application by a resident of Rambagh Srinagar, alleging defrauding of Rs 18 Lakh by three persons including Kiranbhai Patel who posed as a PMO official and enjoyed high security protocols prior to his arrested last month.

“From the contents of application as well as from the material on record, it appears that the complainant has been cheated by the accused and on false pretentions has been made to pay amount of Rs 18 lakhs in two installments at Pratap Park Srinagar and Chai Jai Restaurant Srinagar,” court of City Judge Srinagar said. 

“In view of the nature of allegations leveled against the accused, it appears that cause of justice will be reserved if concerned police station is directed to conduct detailed P.E (preliminary enquiry) before formal investigation for veracity of the facts projected in the application,” the court said in an order, a copy of which lies with GNS, and directed the SHO of Police Station Kothibagh to conduct preliminary enquiry in the matter and submit detailed report before it by or before the next date on April 15. The two other persons named in the compliant include Shailesh Jain and Piyush Jain, both residents of Kolkata.  

According to the complaint filed through advocate Amir Masoodi, Patel revealed his name as Chetan Prakash resident of Begumpur, North West Delhi and projected himself as managing partner at the particular company dealing in areca nuts.  

The resident has alleged that he paid Rs.18 lakhs in two installments following the interactions with Patel at Pratap Park Srinagar and at the Chai Jai restaurant in Srinagar last year.

Patel was arrested on March 2 for posing as a senior official in the Prime Minister's Office. He had managed to get Z-category security protocol during his visits to the valley and attended several official meetings. Patel had also visited many sensitive areas, including the Line of Control in Uri sector. 

Pertinently, on March 29, the government ordered inquiry into the various aspects related to the visits of “Shri Kiran Patel” who conned the security establishment in J&K into believing him to be a PMO official and enjoyed five star protocol “brazenly” for a considerable period of time prior to his arrest.

The inquiry is being conducted by Divisional Commissioner Srinagar and he is required to submit a report within a week. (GNS)