STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing Kashmir (EOW-K) has registered a formal case against two individuals for their involvement in large-scale fraud relating to the procurement of medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to officials, the accused, residents of Peerbagh and Sanat Nagar, Srinagar, allegedly impersonated delegates of the J&K Ministry and OSD Supplies. “By creating fraudulent email IDs and misrepresenting themselves as legitimate suppliers, the accused induced government departments and institutions to transfer payments into fake bank accounts,” said an EOW official.
Preliminary verification revealed that the duo dishonestly obtained ?27 lakh from one government office and had planned to defraud another medical institution of ?2.24 crore. “Based on prima facie evidence, offences under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC, read with Section 66-D of the IT Act, have been established. Cognizance has been taken and further investigation is in progress,” the official added.
The EOW-K assured that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure the investigation is thorough and that those responsible are brought to justice. Authorities have also warned institutions to exercise due diligence while processing payments and verifying supplier credentials to prevent such fraudulent activities.
This case highlights ongoing vigilance by Crime Branch J&K to curb financial and cyber fraud, especially targeting public funds during emergency situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
