Srinagar: Two associates of Kiran Bhai Patel, a conman from Gujarat, are being questioned in Police custody, a top official said Wednesday.
He said that the close aides of Gujarat conman Patel, who was posing as Additional Director of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), were under Police custody for the last few days.
They have been identified as Amit Pandya and Jai Sitapara.
“Both are being questioned by Police officials from Nishat Police Station. They have not been formally arrested yet but will continue to remain in Police custody till their questioning gets completed,” a top Police official said.
Patel, who was operating in the region for several months, has reportedly duped several locals using various fraudulent schemes.
Police registered an FIR No 19 of 2023 against him 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. Recently, Patel was sent for judicial custody.
“FIR has been registered against only Kiran Patel till now and not his associates. Investigations are going on and Police may formally arrest his two close aides if there is some breakthrough during their questioning,” the official said.
Also, the team of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Gujarat, which was stationed in Kashmir to investigate the case of the high profile Gujarat conman in Kashmir, has left Tuesday evening.
“A team of ATS Gujarat including an Inspector and a Sub Inspector questioned Kiran Patel for several days as he is a known fraudster in Gujarat,” the official said.
A top source said that the Gujarat Police claimed to arrest Patel in case he gets released from J&K Police owing to complaints registered against him in various cities of Gujarat.
The source said that conman Patel was recently produced before court by Police through online mode citing security reasons.
“But his (Patel) appearance before the court through online mode has raised questions against the functioning of the authorities. On what grounds authorities raised security concerns for him when it has been proved that he is a conman and has looted people under the garb of providing jobs,” he said.
Patel, through his fraudulent means, managed his stay in Room No 1107 at Hotel Lalit and was spotted at various sensitive locations like the Line of Control (LoC) in his videos and pictures, which went viral on various social media networking sites.