Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Crime Branch on Thursday said it registered a formal case against two individuals for their alleged involvement in a major fraud related to the procurement of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Union Territory.
In a statement, a spokesperson of the Crime Branch Kashmir said the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Kashmir, initiated action following a written complaint that accused two Srinagar residents — from Peerbagh and Sanat Nagar of impersonating officials linked to the J&K Ministry and OSD Supplies during the peak of the health crisis.
According to the spokesperson, the accused allegedly misrepresented themselves as authorised delegates and induced government departments and institutions to transfer payments for medical supplies into bank accounts fraudulently opened in the names of genuine suppliers. They were also said to have created fake email IDs to impersonate original vendors and facilitate the fraudulent transactions.
Preliminary verification, the Crime Branch said, revealed that the accused dishonestly secured Rs 27 lakh from a government office. They had also allegedly planned to fraudulently withdraw Rs 2.24 crore from a government medical institution before the matter came to light.
On the basis of prima facie evidence, a case has been registered under Sections 420 (cheating), 467, 468 and 471 (forgery-related offences), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, read with Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act, which deals with cheating by personation using computer resources. The spokesperson confirmed that cognisance has been taken and further investigation is underway.
Officials said the case forms part of a broader crackdown on financial crimes in the Union Territory. In recent years, J&K Police and security agencies have intensified operations against drug smuggling, narcotics peddling and hawala networks, which are believed to generate funds that ultimately sustain terrorism.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to dismantling the ecosystem supporting militancy by targeting not only active terrorists but also their overground workers, sympathisers and individuals involved in unlawful financial activities.
