Govt orders inquiry into visits of Gujarati conman to Kashmir

Srinagar, Mar 29: The Government on Wednesday ordered a time-bound inquiry into the various aspects related to the visits of “Shri Kiran Patel” who conned the security establishment in Jammu and Kashmir into believing him to be a PMO official and enjoyed five star protocol “brazenly” for a considerable period of time prior to his arrest earlier this month.
“Sanction is hereby accorded to the appointment of Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, IAS, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, as Inquiry Officer to inquire into the various aspects related to the visits of Shri Kiran Patel to Kashmir during the past months and security arrangements made thereof,” reads an order by J&K’s Home Department. “The Inquiry Officer shall identify the lapses on the part of the Officers/ Officials concerned and submit a detailed report within one week,” the order, reads.
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.
As per the police report, Patel has prima facie forged and manufactured some documents including some visiting cards on the basis of which he has defrauded not only a single or group of person but “extremely elevated class of the society including high officials of the civil administration and police authorities.” At the end of the day, the police said, Patel succeeded in getting Z Category Security, bullet proof vehicle and enjoyed five star protocol “brazenly” for a considerable period of time.
“The documents, visiting cards and cell phone of the accused person have been sent for FSL examination, on the basis of which alleged Crime has been commuted, however the FSL examination report has not been received by the investigating agency,” the police had said in a report to court.
The police further said that investigation conducted so far has suggested that the accused has visited most “sensitive locations and areas of Kashmir Valley” which are highly protected and extremely sensitive as far as present security scenario of Kashmir is concerned. Hence, the police said, this aspect of the matter has necessarily to be probed thoroughly by the investigating machinery as to how and with what motive and object the accused visited these locations and areas.
“There is enough material available on the file, suggestive of the fact that while meeting different and variety of people and conducting meeting with highly elevated officials of civil administration and police the accused may have received hefty amount for different purpose which areas seem not to have been investigated so far,” the police had said, adding, “further no recoveries have been made by the investigating agency so far, hence a detailed and thorough investigating is also required to be conducted as far as this area of the matter is concerned.”
Furthermore, the police had said, the meticulous and careful perusal of case diary file and material available on record reflects that during this all period some more persons have remained closely connected with the accused person whose nexus with the accused person requires proper investigation.
As far as “sophisticated and well planned criminal activities of the accused (Patel) are concerned”, the police said, a well knit network of the accused cannot be ruled out in terms of investigation so far conducted.
“More surprisingly the accused has posed to be Additional Director (Strategy and Campaign) PMO, New Delhi which in normal course has not to be taken lightly. Hence again a thorough investigation is required to be conducted as to what could be the other possible connection of the accused which can be checked, scanned and controlled at the initial stage, so that an ugly situation is not again erupted,” the police had said. (GNS)