Govt employee faked signatures of top J&K officials in job-land fraud case: Police in charge sheet

Srinagar, Dec 25 The J&K Police's Crime Branch said on Thursday that it has filed a charge sheet against the accused in the fake job-land fraud case that involved a government employee faking signatures of top officials.

A statement by the Crime Branch Kashmir said that in a major breakthrough against fraud and economic offences, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a charge sheet in a high-profile fake jobs and land allotment scam, exposing how a government employee allegedly duped unemployed youth and poor families by issuing forged allotment and appointment orders using fabricated official seals and signatures.

"The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir has submitted a charge sheet in FIR No. 54/2023 under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468 and 471 IPC before the Hon’ble Court of the 4th Additional Munsiff Judge, Srinagar, against the accused Fouzia Afzal, daughter of Mohd Afzal Magray, resident of Rehmatullah Colony, Sector-B, Fruit Mandi, Parimpora, Srinagar."

The case originated from a complaint alleging that the accused, a Class-IV employee posted in the office of Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, indulged in gross criminal misconduct by issuing fake allotment orders of shops and plots.

During the investigation, it was revealed that these forged orders bore fabricated signatures of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar and carried a forged seal of the District Magistrate, Srinagar. Upon receipt of the complaint, a detailed probe was initiated by EOW Kashmir. The investigation revealed that the accused had duped lakhs of sums from many innocent poor persons and unemployed youth on the false pretext of providing shops at Jehangir Chowk, 5-marla plots at Bemina, and appointment orders for Junior Assistant posts in various government departments, the statement said.

Fake allotment orders and documents bearing forged signatures were supplied to victims to make the fraud appear genuine.

Further investigation revealed that the accused acted in her private capacity after office hours, impersonating high-ranking government officials of various departments, including the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, and Divisional Commissioner’s Office, Kashmir.

"The investigation also established that Fouzia Afzal is a habitual offender, involved in multiple FIRs registered at different police stations of Srinagar district, with several other complaints under probe at the EOW Crime Branch Kashmir. She has already been placed under suspension, and a departmental inquiry has recommended her premature retirement under Article 226(2) of J&K Service Conduct Rules vide inquiry report dated October 14, 2023. The investigation in the instant case has been concluded as ‘proved’, and the charge sheet has been filed in the court of law,” the statement added.

Afzal was arrested by the J&K Police in the case.

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