Beware of Fraudsters: Crime Branch Chargesheets Four in Rs 1.66 Crore Scam

Posted by admin_kas on 2025-11-25 11:20:05 |

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KS News Desk

SRINAGAR, Nov 25 (KNO): In a significant crackdown on real estate fraud, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir filed a chargesheet on Tuesday against four individuals accused of swindling homebuyers out of ₹1.66 crore.

The chargesheet was submitted before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, following an investigation into a conspiracy involving a fake deal for “migrant property.”

The Accused

According to the statement issued to the Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the four accused identified in the chargesheet are:

Abdul Wahid Khan (Resident of Khan Mohalla, Baghat-e-Barzulla, Srinagar)

Mohammad Yousuf Malik (Resident of Nai Sarak, Habba Kadal; currently residing at Natipora) Mohammad Ashraf Mir (Resident of Hakhripora, Pulwama) Mohammad Maqbool Shah (Resident of Peerbagh, Srinagar)

The Modus Operandi: A ₹1.66 Crore Trap

The case stems from a complaint filed by individuals seeking to purchase a residential property. The investigation revealed that the accused, posing as legitimate property dealers, showcased a prime property to the victims: a double-storey house on one kanal and five marlas of land located at Chinar Colony, Baghat-i-Barzulla.

The property in question actually belonged to Mst. Koshaliya, the widow of Jawahar Lal Rafiz, classified as migrant property.

Investigators allege that the accused used fraudulent tactics to induce the complainants into the deal:

False Agreements: They prepared a fake “agreement to sell” for the migrant property.

Extortion: After initially securing ₹1.16 crore, the accused allegedly inflated the price, extracting an additional ₹50 lakh from the victims.

The Outcome: Despite paying a total of ₹1.66 crore, the victims were never given possession of the house, nor was their money refunded.

Legal Action

The Crime Branch probe established that the four men entered into a criminal conspiracy, preparing forged documents to misappropriate funds.

They have been charged under FIR No. 14/2018 involving the following sections of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC):

Section 420: Cheating

Section 468: Forgery for purpose of cheating

Section 471: Using as genuine a forged document

Section 120-B: Criminal Conspiracy

Two of the accused, Mohammad Yousuf Malik and Mohammad Maqbool Shah, have been remanded to judicial custody by the Court.

Public Advisory

Following the filing of the chargesheet, the Economic Offences Wing issued a stern warning to the public regarding real estate investments.

“The public is advised to remain cautious and verify all documents thoroughly while entering into property transactions to avoid falling prey to such fraudsters.” — Economic Offences Wing, Crime Branch Kashmir