How Gujarat conman tricked J&K administration; Div Comm Kashmir to conduct inquiry [details]

Facing criticism from different quarters for providing all protocols including Z-Plus security to a conman of Gujarat who impersonated himself as a senior officer in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday asked Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to conduct an inquiry into the whole "blunder".

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri is appointed as the inquiry officer to probe various aspects related to the visits of Gujarat conman to Kashmir.

According to an order, the inquiry officer has been asked to identify the lapses on part of the officers concerned. The officer has been asked to submit the inquiry report within a week.

"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 Kiran Patel to Kashmir during the past months and security arrangements made thereof. The Inquiry Officer shall identify the lapses on the part of the Officers/ Officials concerned and submit a detailed report within one week," reads the order issued by R K Goel, Financial Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary of J&K Government.

For several months the fraudster hoodwinked J&K administration

For months together, fraudster Dr. Kiran J Patel managed to hoodwink the Jammu & Kashmir police and civil administration by impersonating himself as the Additional Director (Strategy & Campaign) in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

According to reports, during four visits between October 2022 and March 2023, he traveled around the Union territory as a VVIP, with Z-plus-equivalent security cover, including bulletproof vehicles, gunmen, and escort vehicles.

Without verifying his credentials from higher-ups, he was also provided access to some of the most strategically sensitive locations in J&K, including Uri near the Line of Control, where he clicked pictures, made reels, and posted them on social media.

He stayed at five-star properties, took "briefings" from officers, and met business owners across districts. The cheater also met at least two Deputy Commissioners during his visit to the valley.

According to reports, Patel was put under surveillance by J&K Police after inputs and alerts from New Delhi and the CID in Srinagar about his suspicious movement towards the end of February. He was trapped and arrested in Srinagar on his fourth visit.

Another inquiry has already been ordered by J&K Police

On March 19 the Additional Director General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, today termed the providing of security to the conman as a mistake and said that a detailed investigation is being conducted and those involved in providing him security will not be spared.

"A mistake in providing Patel security is being looked into and action will be taken against the officer who has given instructions", the ADGP said.

"The SOP is there from the beginning. Instructions come from time to time. Police should not provide security to anyone on verbal instructions. We don't. The mistake which has happened is being looked into and action will be taken against the officer who has given instructions," he said.

He ruled out it as an intelligence failure. "We cannot call it intelligence failure. There has been negligence at the field office level and action will be taken," he said.