J&K: Conman poses as PMO official, gets security cover, visits border post; arrested

A man who pretended to be a senior member of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and met with influential figures in the Union territory has been detained by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Kiran Bhai Patel, the suspected scam artist, used to introduce himself as the Assistant Director in the PMO. Kiran Patel has been travelling to the Kashmir Valley since last October, according to sources who spoke to India Today. He even travelled from Lal Chowk in Srinagar through the Kaman Post in Uri, which is nearer the Line of Control (LoC), before being apprehended.

Kiran Patel charged under crimes under IPC

Kiran Patel "engaged in activities within the jurisdiction of this police station and other parts of the Kashmir Valley," according to the FIR filed at Nishat Police Station in Srinagar. He received gracious treatment from the administration, a PSO, and a room in a five-star hotel.

Kiran Patel has been charged with crimes under the applicable Indian Criminal Code sections (IPC).

The Jammu and Kashmir Police questioned Basheer ul Haq, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Pulwama, and Zulfkar Azad, the Superintendent of Police, regarding how the alleged conman was not apprehended sooner.

Gujarat Police team was also part of the probe

According to reports, a team from the Gujarat Police also took part in the probe.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has been silent about the incident thus far. Yet, according to reports, the CID Branch was the first to identify the con artist before central agencies learned about it.