ED files prosecution complaint against 'conman' who posed as PMO official in Srinagar, to appear on November 27

Srinagar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Saturday it has filed a prosecution complaint against alleged Gujarat conman Kiran Patel before a special court here under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The court took cognisance of the prosecution complaint and issued a notice to the accused to appear on November 27, the agency said.

On August 29 last year, a court here granted bail to Ahmedabad-resident Patel, who was arrested for allegedly posing as a top official in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in March to dupe people and secure undue advantages from the administration.

The ED initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR registered at the Nishat Police Station in Srinagar against Patel and others under various sections of Indian Penal Code.

"The investigation revealed that Patel, a conman, impersonated himself as Additional Director (Strategy and Campaigns), PMO and fraudulently created/printed fake visiting cards for faking his identity to fulfil his ulterior motives to dupe people and generate proceeds of crime.

"Further, by using the said fake visiting cards and impersonation, not only did he illicitly availed the security from the administration of the UT of J&K government which has caused a loss of resources and monetary loss to the state exchequer but also, he duped gullible Gujarat-based businessmen and secured/got undue advantages by making a false promise to provide business opportunities in the valley of Kashmir," the ED said.

Earlier, the ED had conducted search operations under the PMLA on May 19, 2023 at various premises linked to Patel and others, seizing incriminating documents, records and electronic devices.

Further investigations are in progress, the agency said.

Patel made headlines when he was arrested from a five-star hotel in Srinagar for posing as a top official in the PMO in March after videos showing him moving around under security cover went viral.

He was on his third visit to Kashmir when he was nabbed by security officials on March 3. Patel had claimed to have been given a mandate by the government to identify buyers for apple orchards in south Kashmir.