Hospitality And Protocol Denies Expenses For Conman’s Kashmir Visits

SRINAGAR: Department of Hospitality and Protocol has stated that no transportation was provided, nor any amount spent by them on alleged conman from Gujarat, Patel Kiran Bhai during his visits to the Kashmir Valley prior to his arrest in March this year.

A Srinagar-based lawyer, Aamir Masoodi, filed an application under RTI, seeking the total amount spent on accommodation, transportation, and other expenses on the alleged conman.

In response, the Department’s Manager-cum-Protocol Officer replied “nil” to the details of the total amount spent on accommodation, transportation, and other expenses, as well as details of the concerned department which paid the whole amount on behalf of Patel. The officer also denied the name of the government officials posted in Kashmir who had meetings with Patel Kiran Bhai on his last two visits to the Valley.

In the application, addressed to Division Commissioner Kashmir, the advocate also sought details of the concerned department that paid the whole amount on behalf of Patel Kiran Bhai on his last two visits to the Kashmir valley prior to his arrest.

Patel was on his third visit to the Kashmir Valley when he was apprehended by security officials from a five-star hotel in Nishat area of Srinagar on March 2.

As per the police report, Patel forged and manufactured documents, including some visiting cards, on the basis of which he defrauded not only a single or group of people but an extremely elevated class of society, including high officials of the civil administration and police authorities. At the end of the day, the police said, Patel succeeded in getting Z-Category Security, bulletproof vehicle and enjoyed five-star protocol “brazenly” for a considerable period of time. (GNS)