Property worth Rs 2.22 crore of job fraudster attached in J&K

Jammu, Jan 21 Property worth Rs 2.22 crore owned by a job fraudster was attached by authorities in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Tuesday.

Officials said the property of the fraudster impersonating an Army Lieutenant Colonel and promising jobs to people, has been attached in Jammu.

“Property valued at more than Rs 2.22 crore of the fraudster promising government jobs in the Central government to people has been attached. He defrauded people by impersonating a Lieutenant Colonel," said the officials.

The accused was identified as Harpreet Singh who cheated people seeking employment in the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

A complainant, Arun Sharma from Nagrota, lodged a complaint against Harpreet Singh, alleging fraud, cheating, forgery and financial losses amounting to crores.

“Following investigations and a subsequent FIR registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) at the Nagrota police station, it was found that the accused had received substantial sums from the victims. The accused had invested a significant portion of the defrauded funds to acquire a property at Channi Bija in Bahu tehsil, valued at more than Rs 2.22 crore," the officials said.

An attachment application for illegally acquired property was submitted to the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) in Jammu.

On January 18, the court ordered the attachment of the property, which was executed under the supervision of the Bahu tehsildar.

“The court has issued a show-cause notice to Harpreet Singh granting him 14 days to explain why the attached property, believed to be purchased using proceeds of crime, should not be auctioned off for the benefit of the affected victims,” officials said.

In March 2023, another fraudster impersonating an Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office was arrested and booked by police in Srinagar. The impersonator allegedly cheated dozens of people seeking jobs. Named Kiran Patel, the conman belonged to Gujarat and was arrested from a 5-star hotel in Srinagar city in March 2023.

Source: IANS