Conman Dr. Kiran J Patel, who hoodwinked the J&K administration for three months by impersonation as a senior officer in Prime Minister's Office (PMO), would be handed over to Gujarat Police for investigation in other cheating cases.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar on Thursday ordered the custody of cheater Dr. Patel to Gujrat Police after disposing-off the petition filed by the Crime Branch Ahmedabad. According to a Kashmir-based news agency, M M Solani, Inspector of the Crime Branch of Gujrat Police filed a petition before the CJM Srinagar to take custody of Dr. Patel.
"The inspector has sought the change of custody of the accused" the order, reads, adding that "the inspector has prayed since the accused is presently lodged in Central Jail Srinagar, in connection with FIR 19/2023 U/S 419, 420, 467, 468, and 471 IPC of police station Nishat, Srinagar."
"Therefore, his custody is required to be changed in the FIR number 11191011230073/2023 U/S 406/420/170/ and 120-B IPC at Ahmedabad, Gujrat because investigation in the case is at its infancy stage and cannot be completed without the custodial investigation for the accused", the order reads.
The CJM ordered that the custody of the accused be handed over to Gujrat police. "Therefore, the Superintendent Central Jail Srinagar shall hand over the custody of the accused to Inspector of Police MM Solanki (Ahmedabad, Gujrat) after a proper medical checkup", the CJM ordered.
Gujrat police reached Srinagar on Tuesday to take Patel's custody
A team of Ahmedabad Police has reached Srinagar on Tuesday to take custody of the conman in a cheating case and is expected to bring him to Gujarat on Thursday evening, an official said here.
Four First Information Reports (FIRs) related to cheating have been registered against Patel in different police stations in Gujarat. The Ahmedabad Crime Branch registered a case of cheating against him and his wife Malini Patel on March 22 for allegedly trying to usurp a senior citizen's bungalow.
J&K already ordered an inquiry into the goof-up
On March 29, Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday asked Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to conduct an inquiry into the whole "blunder". Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri was appointed as the inquiry officer to probe various aspects related to the visits of Gujarat conman to Kashmir.
According to an order, the inquiry officer has been asked to identify the lapses on part of the officers concerned. The officer has been asked to submit the inquiry report within a week.
"The Inquiry Officer shall identify the lapses on the part of the Officers/ Officials concerned and submit a detailed report within one week," reads the order issued by R K Goel, Financial Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary of J&K Government.
For months together, fraudster Dr. Kiran J Patel managed to hoodwink the Jammu & Kashmir police and civil administration by impersonating himself as the Additional Director (Strategy & Campaign) in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
According to reports, during four visits between October 2022 and March 2023, he traveled around the Union territory as a VVIP, with Z-plus-equivalent security cover, including bulletproof vehicles, gunmen, and escort vehicles.
Without verifying his credentials from higher-ups, he was also provided access to some of the most strategically sensitive locations in J&K, including Uri near the Line of Control, where he clicked pictures, made reels, and posted them on social media.
Pertinently, J&K Police had already registered an FIR No 19 of 2023 against the conman at Police Station Nishat for criminal intention and indulging in activities within the jurisdiction of this police station and other parts of Kashmir and by employing a high degree of forged means and was posing as Additional Director of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), in Kashmir. Patel was sent for judicial custody and is currently lodged in Central Jail Srinagar.
