JK administration orders probe into Gujarat conman's visits to Kashmir

Samaan Lateef 

Srinagar March 29

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday ordered a probe into the visits of the Gujarati conman masquerading as an Additional Director in the PMO who spent most part of his winter in tourist resorts of Kashmir and was granted access to strategic locations with heavy security cover.

The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri has been appointed as inquiry officer to probe into various aspects related to visits of Gujarat conman 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 an order issued by Additional Chief Secretary Home Department, Raj Kumar Goyal.

A copy of the order has been sent to Joint Secretary Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi.

On Tuesday, Kiran’s wife Malini Patel was taken into custody by the Gujarat Police in connection with a cheating case registered against the couple by a former Gujarat minister’s brother Jagdish Chavda.

The Patel couple and their two daughters travelled to Jammu and Kashmir on a holiday in October last year and February this year and stayed at the five-star hotel from where he was arrested on March 2.

Malini Patel allegedly told the police that her husband managed the police security and government vehicles due to his ‘connections’ and that the security cover was necessary for their safety in the Valley.

After staying in the Valley for two to three days, the family returned home to Ahmedabad in February. A few days later, Patel again travelled to Kashmir with his friend and was arrested this time.

The imposter had taken the LG administration for a ride by securing Z-plus security cover, a bulletproof Mahindra Scorpio SUV, official accommodation at a five-star hotel, and visits to top tourist spots and strategic security locations.

A local court has denied him bail.