Jammu, Aug 19. Crime Branch Jammu has booked eighteen individuals, including four police officials, in a series of fraud and criminal breach of trust cases. The action follows separate complaints that led to the registration of six FIRs involving scams worth several crores of rupees.
Officials said that acting on a communication from Police Headquarters J&K, an FIR was lodged against Head Constable Mohan Singh, Follower Vijay Kumar, Follower Sohan Lal and Assistant Incharge CPPP Jammu Shalinder Dogra for criminal breach of trust.
In another case, Crime Branch registered an FIR against Vijay Khokher, proprietor of M/s Mala Enterprises Auction Group, a chit fund-type company. Khokher, who also works as a follower in the police department, was accused of misappropriating Rs 34.25 lakh deposited in his firm by complainant Sanjeev Sharma of Bishnah, Jammu.
A separate FIR was registered on the complaint of Raj Kumar Mehra of Channi Himmat, Jammu, who became a victim of a Facebook-based fraud. He alleged that he was befriended online by a woman claiming to be from the United Kingdom. She pretended to have been detained by customs officers at Mumbai airport and managed to extort Rs 48.80 lakh from him on the pretext of securing her release. The accused named in this case include Alka Joshi of Uttarakhand, Chandra Bhan of Bulandshahar (UP), Vinod Mapsekar of Gujarat, Subash Kumar of Unnao (UP), Rajesh Baliram Jadhav of Thane (Maharashtra) and others.
In another land fraud case, Crime Branch registered a case against a property dealer, Dharamvir Sharma of Vikas Nagar, Jammu, on the basis of complaints filed by two sisters, Sushma Devi and Savita Devi. The complainants alleged they were duped of Rs 24 lakh on the pretext of being allotted plots at Nagbani, Jammu.
Similarly, Vijay Gill and Haris Gill of Supwal Samba were booked for allegedly duping complainant Vishal Kumar of Mawa Samba of Rs 20 lakh on the pretext of arranging a work visa abroad.
Another case was filed against Ravinder Singh of Digiana Camp, Jammu (presently residing in Nainital, Uttarakhand), and others following complaints from five individuals, Ravneet Kour, Surinder Kour, Avtar Singh of Poonch, Sanjeev Kumar of Nowshera Rajouri, and Gurdeep Kour of R S Pura. They alleged that Singh and his associates cheated them of over Rs 30 lakh on the pretext of providing residential plots at Gadigarh, Jammu.
Confirming the action, Senior Superintendent of Police Crime Jammu, Benam Tosh, said six FIRs have been registered at Police Station Crime Branch (EOW) Jammu. He added that preliminary verification has been completed and in-depth investigations have been initiated. [KNT]
