DC who ‘got’ conman security in J&K shifted out, report awaited a month later
A month since an inquiry panel was constituted by the Jammu and Kashmir administration into the case of impersonation by a man named Kiran Patel, a report is yet to submitted, even as Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary, then Deputy Commissioner of Pulwama and a key officer allegedly involved in the episode — he had met Patel while being the DC — was transferred out this week.
Choudhary was among 21 officers, including 10 IAS officers, transferred on Thursday as part of an administrative reshuffle. He has been posted as MD, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited.
Patel was arrested by J&K Police on March 3 for impersonating as an official in the PMO and travelling through Kashmir with security. As the then Pulwama DC, Chaudhary had allegedly called up J&K Police SSP (Security) of Kashmir, Sheikh Zulfikar, to provide Patel security, The Indian Express had reported. Patel later got a bulletproof vehicle, two escort vehicles, and a dozen SSB gunmen. Zulfikar had declined to comment.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, V K Bidhuri was named as the inquiry officer on March 29 to probe “various aspects related to the visits of Shri Kiran Patel to Kashmir during the past months and security arrangements made thereof.” He was tasked with identifying the lapses on part of officers/officials concerned and submit a detailed report within one week.
A month later, the report is yet to be released. Sources said it has so far not been submitted to the J&K administration .
Bidhuri and officials of Raj Bhavan in Srinagar could not be reached for a comment.
Police are also probing another case of fraud against Patel, filed in a Srinagar court by a local resident, Danish Hassan, who claimed that he gave Patel and his associates Rs 18 lakh in three instalments in September-October last year.
