The economic offences wing (EOW) of the J&K crime branch has filed a chargesheet in absentia against a 48-year-old Srinagar resident accused of posing as a criminal investigation department (CID) officer and defrauding several people on the pretext of securing government jobs and official transfers.
The accused, Ghulam Hassan Dar of Dhobi Ghat, Hazratbal, is currently on the run.
The chargesheet was submitted before the court of sub-judge, Srinagar, under FIR Number 24 of 2023 for offences under Sections 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with Section 512 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) due to his absconding status.
According to sources, the case stems from a written complaint filed in 2021 by a woman political leader from south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The complainant had met Dar during a visit to Delhi in 2021, where he falsely claimed to be a CID officer posted in the national capital. Described by sources as a habitual offender skilled at luring victims, Dar built rapport under this fake identity.
Upon returning to Kashmir, the complainant was approached by a friend seeking assistance with a family member’s transfer. Believing Dar’s claimed connections, she facilitated a meeting. Dar agreed to secure the transfer of a railway employee from Uttarakhand to Kashmir in exchange for ₹50,000, which was paid upfront.
{{/usCountry}}Upon returning to Kashmir, the complainant was approached by a friend seeking assistance with a family member’s transfer. Believing Dar’s claimed connections, she facilitated a meeting. Dar agreed to secure the transfer of a railway employee from Uttarakhand to Kashmir in exchange for ₹50,000, which was paid upfront.
{{/usCountry}}Shortly after, a resident of Shopian approached the same political worker seeking assistance to find employment. She provided him with Dar’s details. Dar demanded ₹2 lakh from the Shopian resident, promising an appointment as a nursing orderly in the health department. To seal the scam, Dar issued a fake appointment order and a forged deputation letter.
After collecting the funds, the accused severed all communication with the victims. Realising they had been duped, the victims contacted the political worker, who subsequently approached the crime branch in 2021.
After a preliminary inquiry, the fraud was confirmed and the case was registered in 2023. An EOW spokesperson confirmed that the investigation substantiated all allegations, leading to the finalisation of the chargesheet for judicial determination in Dar’s absence.
The EOW has urged the public to verify the credentials of individuals claiming official authority and warned against making payments for government jobs or transfers through unauthorised channels.