Srinagar, Mar 17: A conman, who posed as a top official of the Prime Minister’s Office, on Friday was sent to 15 days of judicial custody by Srinagar district Court on Friday.
Citing security concerns the police produced the accused in court through video conferencing.
Kiran Bhai Patel a Gujarat resident, was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police on March 3 from a 5-star hotel ‘The Lalit Grand Palace’ in Srinagar, where he was staying as a top official.
The conman got the requisite perks, including a bulletproof car and scores of security personnel. Meanwhile, he had three cases registered against him in his home state Gujarat, police said on Friday.
Patel, who was impersonating an Additional Director for strategy and campaigns in the Prime Minister’s Office, was arrested at least 10 days ago, but his arrest was kept a secret by the police.
The J&K Police says it got suspicious about him, gathered information about the accused, and informed the Srinagar Police Chief.
On March 02, the CID wing of J&K Police gave information to the Police about arrival of an impersonator in Kashmir. SSP Srinagar immediately sent a team led by SP East to Lalit hotel.
A police spokesman said the particulars of this person were found as Kiran Bhai Patel son of Juddesh Bhai Patel resident of Ahmadabad Gujarat who was impersonating himself as Additional Director (Strategy and campaigns) PMO New Delhi.
“As his replies were found suspicious, he was taken to Police Station Nishat wherein he admitted his crime. Ten fake visiting cards and two mobiles were seized from him,” he said.
As per Police based upon this, a case vide FIR No. 19/2023 U/S 419,420,467,468, 471 of IPC was registered in Police Station Nishat on 02/03/2023 and investigation was taken up.
“A team of SP East Srinagar, SDPO Nehru Park, SHO Nishat are leading the investigation. The accused Patel was arrested on March 3, 2023 and is in police remand up to March 17,” the spokesman said.
He said that many relevant persons have been examined in this case. Case is at initial stage of investigation and further details of this case will be shared later.
“It is also pertinent to mention that there are three cases registered against above fraudster in different Police stations in Gujrat: Raopura Police Station, Baroda city Case,” the spokesman said.
A senior police officer told Rising Kashmir that Patel have managed to dupe gullible people for transfer and other benefits.
“We are also questioning two senior officers in this matter to ascertain how the man managed to get high security and VVIP treatment in Kashmir,” he said.
The officer said the accused also visited border areas and visited high-security areas. It is a matter of concern for security agencies in the Valley, he said.
The counsel of accused Kiran Bhai Patel, Advocate Rehaan Gowhar who appeared for him in the Srinagar court today, said that his client has denied all the allegations and informed him that security cover was given to two other persons who are related to politics in Gujarat.
He further said that his client was with these two persons in the Valley and the council also submitted that if he was provided security without knowing his reality, then it is a failure of the administration.
Rehaan said he was not produced in the court in person due to security reasons and was produced through video conference.
Patel also posted on his social media account several videos and pictures of his visits to Kashmir. He also held a series of meetings with officials during his two visits to Srinagar earlier this year.
In his Twitter bio he claims to have a PhD from Commonwealth University, Virginia, an MBA from IIM Trichy, as well as an M.Tech in Computer Science and B.E. in Computer Engineering.
Patel further described himself as a “thinker, strategist, analyst and campaign manager”.
The accused had the second visit of to Kashmir. Earlier, he visited Kashmir in February, and now on his second visit in March, he is arrested by police.
