Gujarat conman hoodwinked J&K officers as ‘PMO official’ for 4 months

Kiran Patel enjoyed Z-Plus security, hospitality & protocol at 5-Star hotel; visited high security installations at Uri etc; took meetings with officers; promised prestigious postings to IAS officers; finally trapped & arrested in Srinagar on 2 March

Srinagar: A Gujarat-based conman operating under the name of Dr. Kiren J Patel and impersonating as “Additional Director (Strategy & Campaign) in the Prime Minister’s Office” has been arrested and booked in a criminal case by the Jammu and Kashmir Police after he hoodwinked senior officers of the Police and civil administration, including IAS officers, enjoyed Z-Plus security cover and visited high security installations in the Kashmir valley.
Well-placed knowledgeable sources revealed to The News Now that 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 on 2 March 2023.
Patel was booked in an FIR at Police Station Nishat under sections 419, 420, 468 and 471 and taken for sustained questioning on remand from a court. However, his detention was not made public for 14 days for reasons not known to anybody.
The NEWS NOW has learned that a high level enquiry has been ordered in J&K, parallel to an investigation in Delhi and Ahmedabad as his hoodwinking of senior officers for four months is being viewed as a serious security and intelligence lapse. Reports under confirmation insist that Patel visited different places in Srinagar, Budgam, Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama and Baramulla districts in Z-Plus security cover. With a number of security guards, escort personnel and bullet-proof Scorpio he is also known to have visited the border area of Uri, in Baramulla district, on 29 November 2022. In January, he reportedly visited Russia.
Patel has a verified account on Twitter (verified by subscription recently) with just 1,302 followers since 2009. He follows as many as 2,350 people. In his profile he has introduced himself as “PHD (Commonwealth Uni, Virginia), MBA (IIM TRICHY), M.Tech (Computer Science), B.E. Computer (LD Engineering, Thinker, Strategist, Analyst, Campaign Manager”. In addition to Twitter, Patel runs two Facebook pages and one Instagram handle.
Under Z-Plus security cover, Patel appeared at Srinagar’s iconic Clock Tower at Lalchowk and posted the picture on his Facebook on 14 February 2023. Earlier on 25 November 2022, he posted a video on his Instagram in which Patel is seen taking a visit of the Boulevard, on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar, in a black BP Scorpio with a woman and heavy CRPF/SSB protection. He also posted a reel of the same video.
Highly placed official sources said that in a series of his visits in November 2022 and February 2023, Patel was provided a BP Scorpio with multiple security and escort personnel and double-escort as everybody received and honoured him as “Additional Director in PMO”. He was also provided a luxury accommodation with free boarding at Hotel Lalit in Srinagar where he called a number of senior officers, including IAS officers. It is learnt that some officers requested Patel for their prestigious postings which he assured.
According to the sources, when a bureaucratic reshuffle took place in the Union Territory Government, Patel bragged to a number of J&K officers at Gulmarg Club that the transfers and appointments had been done on his ‘orders’.
Patel is known to have visited Uri, Baramulla, Gulmarg, several places in Srinagar, Doodhpathri tourist resort in Budgam, Aharbal tourist resort in Kulgam besides places in Pulwama and Shopian districts. He is known to have taken meetings with officers and snubbed several officers for their absence in his meetings.
Updated On 3/17/2023 11:43:00 AM