Court rejects bail plea of cop in fraud case

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: Excise Magistrate Jammu Umesh Sharma has rejected bail application of a cop namely Mohd Ramzan Reshi, who has duped crores of rupees. According to police report, applicant has been arrayed as accused in FIR 04/2022 under sections 120-B, 420, 468, 471 of IPC, 12 of Passport Act at Police Station CID (CIJ), SIA Jammu and at present is under custody.
The accused, who is a Head Constable in J&K police, has faked his identity in various identity related documents and has also got prepared number of documents including two PAN cards carrying different names and has also obtained passport on basis of fake documents and has even visited Middle East by posing himself as businessman. The accused along with few others duped and defrauded a number of persons of crores of rupees and have also misled general masses by showing them their photographs clicked with prominent personalities besides assuring them that they can manage big works for them due to their links in Ministry of Home Affairs etc. The accused, as per report, owns multiple bank accounts and uses VPN etc for communication purposes.
The bail plea of applicant was opposed by APP on grounds that offences committed by accused are anti-social, heinous and non-bailable in nature as such accused cannot claim bail as matter of right; that modus operandi adopted by the accused in committing the offences indicate his deep criminal bent of mind, therefore, the application deserves outright dismissal; that the accused being a police employee has falsely projected himself as a self-employed person by concealing his profession before the passport office and has got prepared his passport on fake documents; thereafter, the accused has proceeded outside the Country with ulterior motive and has established his contact with high profile persons/agencies who are hell bent to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of J&K and are ready to spread terrorism and the accused, by undermining its consequences, has seriously jeopardized the security apparatus of UT of J&K in particular and that of the country in general. Further, cousin of accused namely Bashir Ahmed Mir was a terrorist of Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen terrorist outfit and surrendered in 2001 and in 2016 he started real estate business and thereafter earned lakhs as commission amount. The accused being police employee and a law knowing person has indulged himself in criminal activities and has duped innocent people of their hard earned money in connivance with the accused persons; that the investigation of the case is at preliminary stage and evidence is being collected in support of the case and in case the applicant/accused is enlarged on bail, it will cause obstacles and impediments in the smooth conduct of the investigation.
Excise Magistrate Jammu Umesh Sharma after hearing both sides observed that startling revelations in the police report to the effect that applicant/accused, who is serving as Head Constable, has 16 bank accounts in his name with transaction of around Rs 6 crore and is in touch with 10 foreign mobile numbers, indicating towards seriousness of the matter at hand. The investigating officer of the case has also traced movement pattern of the accused and has found that accused has visited many parts of the country including Mumbai, UP, Goa etc. and has used numerous mobile applications including VPN etc for communication purposes. “In view of facts and circumstances of case, the Court is of considered view that a strong prima facia has been made out against the accused. No doubt personal liberty of the accused is his constitutional guarantee but same can be refused in accordance with procedure established by law and is required to be balanced with the impact of offence on the society. I am of the considered view that if the accused is granted bail, larger interest of public and that of the state shall surely be defeated,” the Court observed and rejected bail application.