Srinagar (J&K): Conman Kiran Patel, who identified himself as a top PMO official and duped authorities in Kashmir and toured the valley, has been handed over to the Kashmir police by Gujarat cops who had kept him in their custody for two weeks at the directions of the Srinagar court. He was questioned over cases registered against him in Gujarat.
Police said Patel was involved in some forgery cases registered in Gujarat. Former Bharatiya Janata Party minister Jawahar Chawda's brother Jagdish Chawda has accused Kiran Patel and his wife Malini of defrauding him of Rs 15 crore in Ahmedabad.
Also read: Alleged conman Kiran Patel Kiran Patel from J-K to Gujarat
According to police sources, Patel was taken into custody by authorities in Kashmir on Monday and lodged at the Central Jail in Srinagar. The fraudster, who earned notoriety for a number of cases, was arrested by the police on March 3 for his involvement in a forgery case with the Kashmir administration.
Later, the local court sent him to judicial custody till March 31. The J&K L-G Manoj Sinha-led administration has also directed the Provincial Commissioner Vijay Kumar Budhuri to conduct an inquiry. Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, Rajiv Kumar Goyal, directed Budhuri to submit a detailed report on the lapses by the officers in the matter.
Earlier, Patel falsely projected himself as an Additional Director (Strategy and Campaign) in the office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was provided Z Plus security by the police's security wing and hosted at the luxurious Hotel Lalit in Srinagar.
