Man posing as PMO official in Kashmir sent to judicial custody, three cases against him in Gujarat
Srinagar, Mar 17: Kiran Bhai Patel, who posed as a PMO official and got the requisite perks, including a bulletproof car and scores of security personnel, had three cases registered against him in his home state Gujarat, police said on Friday.
He was arrested here on March 3 but his deception that tricked security forces of the high security zone that is Jammu and Kashmir has come to light only now. Patel was in police custody until Friday and has now been sent to jail for 14 days, officials said.
The story of the alleged conman from Gujarat unravelled earlier this month when he visited Kashmir for the third time, each time passing himself off as Additional Director (Strategy and Campaigns) Prime Minister's Office, New Delhi.
Three cases under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cheating, forgery and breach of trust, dating back to 2017 are registered against him in police stations in Ahmedabad and Baroda, police said.
Purported videos of Patel surveying the snow slopes of Gulmarg with a posse of armed security personnel around him and of a convoy of vehicles accompanying him weaving through a Valley town have been circulated widely across social media platforms.
He had even visited the last post at Uri in north Kashmir, posing for pictures at a bridge treated as a Line of Control between India and Pakistan.
In a statement, police said the CID wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police gave information on March 2 about the arrival of an impersonator who had checked into the Hotel Lalit Grand in Srinagar.
Detailing what had happened, the statement said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rakesh Balwal sent a team to the hotel. He was identified as Kiran Bhai Patel, son of Juddesh Bhai Patel, a resident of Ahmedabad. He was questioned but his replies were found to be suspicious and he was taken to a police station in Nishat close by where he made a confession, police said.
Ten fake visiting cards and two mobiles were seized from him.
According to police, Patel held several meetings with Jammu and Kashmir bureaucrats, selling them dreams of boosting apple production, engaging youth in national building and holding seminars to give a fillip to the horticulture industry.
However, everyone asked Patel to come through official channels for the earmarking of funds for the so-called projects being offered by him, officials said.
He has cases filed under various IPC sections for cheating and forgery at the Nishat police station.
During an earlier visit, Patel travelled to Gulmarg, claiming the government had tasked him to look at improvement of hotel facilities in the area, officials said.
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New book celebrates Bengaluru's BMTC bus stories, captures lives on transit
Bengaluru: A new bilingual book titled Bengalurina Bussina Kathegalu (Bengaluru’s Bus Stories) was released on Monday, offering a heartwarming collection of real-life experiences from the city’s BMTC buses. Presented in Kannada and English, the book turns the routine of bus commuting into poignant narratives of connection, emotion, and community.
Compiled by a diverse group of writers and volunteers, the book is a joint effort by researchers from Utrecht University (Netherlands), the EQUIMOB project, the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV), and the non-profit Samvada.With 23 stories divided into seven themes, it offers a people's archive of the daily life happening on Bengaluru's buses.
The stories span from childhood memories to friendships and even transformative encounters. One story remembers the excitement of taking a double-decker bus ride, while another tells how a conductor's wise action resolved a family feud over a nascent romance.
Prajwal Nagesh, one of the researchers who worked on the project, highlighted the collective effort that went into the book. "While each of us has our own recollections of BMTC buses, such stories are not often recorded. This book is a collective memory of those experiences," he said.
During the launch event, the personal bus memories were shared by volunteers such as Mamatha Gamana, which encouraged people at the event to contribute their own anecdotes, giving an insight into how these daily travels have influenced the social geography of the city for many years.
Released as an e-book, Bengaluru's Bus Stories is available on Equimob's website and the Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike blog.
Bengaluru's Bus Stories – Bengalurina Bussina Kathegalu, a book offering insights into BMTC - the city’s lifeline- was launched on Monday. It captures memories of double-deckers, bus bonds, everyday life around buses@BBPVedike pic.twitter.com/T21W2nldy4
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