Srinagar, Mar 20: A court here on Monday reserved for orders the bail application by a man from Gujarat who conned the security establishment into believing him to be a PMO official and getting the requisite perks prior to his arrest earlier this month.
Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar Raja Mohammad Tasleem put the matter for orders on March 23 after hearing the counsel representing Gujarati “conman”, Kiran Patel and the prosecution.
Patil’s counsel contended that offences are not that serious against his client while the prosecution opposed the grant of the bail to him at this stage of the investigation.
Kiran Bhai Patel, a conman from Gujarat, who was posing as Additional Director of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), had been operating in the region for several months.
During this time, he has reportedly duped several locals wooing them with various fraudulent schemes. He enjoyed many perks, including a bulletproof car and security cover besides other hospitality. Kiran Patel was on his third visit to the Kashmir Valley when he was nabbed by security officials from a five-star hotel in Nishat area of Srinagar on March 2.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Sunday said that the conman was given (Z-plus) security cover due to the failure of some field officers and promised action against all such officers.
The ADGP Kashmir ruled out any intelligence failure in the episode and said, “Once the investigations are completed, action will be taken against the erring officials.”
Kumar said that it was not an intelligence failure but (Z-plus) security was given to the Gujarat conman due to the carelessness of some field officers.
To investigate the high profile case, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Gujarat has sent a team of officers to Kashmir.
Kumar said that the J&K Police came to know about him being a conman on March 2, 2023, and a raid was conducted in the hotel and he was caught red handed with some fake visiting cards.
“An FIR was registered on the same day and he was sent to Police remand for 14 days. He is on judicial remand and is being interrogated rigorously,” he said.
The Kashmir Police chief said that the investigations were going on in a professional manner and no one would be spared if found involved.