Hospitality & Protocol Says No Amount Spent On Conman During Visits To Kashmir

Srinagar, May 7  Department of Hospitality and Protocol has said that no transportation was provided or any amount spent by it on alleged conman from Gujarat, Patel Kiran Bhai during his visits to Kashmir Valley prior to his arrest in March this year.

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

In the reply, a copy of which lies with the GNS, the Department through Manager-cum-Protocol Officer has responded “nil” to the details of total amount spent on accommodation, transportation and other expenses, details of concerned department which paid the whole amount on behalf of Patel as well as 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 had also sought details of the concerned department who paid the whole amount on behalf of Patel Kiran Bhai on his last two visits to Kashmir valley prior to his arrest.

Patel was on his third visit to the Kashmir Valley when he was nabbed 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 some documents including some visiting cards on the basis of which he defrauded not only a “single or group of person but extremely elevated class of the 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, bullet proof vehicle and enjoyed five star protocol “brazenly” for a considerable period of time. (GNS)