Property worth Rs 2.22 crore attached of job-fraud accused in Jammu

JAMMU: Authorities on Monday attached assets worth more than Rs 2.22 crore of a man who allegedly impersonated a lieutenant colonel in the Army and defrauded people by promising to secure jobs for them in various central government departments in Jammu and Kashmir.

Harpreet Singh, the accused, allegedly posed as a lieutenant colonel to deceive individuals seeking employment in the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), officials said.

Arun Sharma from Nagrota got a complaint lodged against Singh, alleging fraud, cheating, forgery and financial losses amounting to crores, they said.

Following investigations and a subsequent FIR registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) at the Nagrota police station, it was found that the accused had received substantial sums from the victims, the officials said.

Singh had invested a significant portion of the defrauded funds to acquire a property at Channi Bija in Bahu tehsil, valued at more than Rs 2.22 crore, they said.

An application for the attachment of the property was submitted to the chief judicial magistrate in Jammu. On January 18, the court ordered the attachment of the property, which was executed under the supervision of the Bahu tehsildar, the officials said.

The court has issued a show-cause notice to Singh, granting him 14 days to explain why the attached property, believed to be purchased using proceeds of crime, should not be auctioned off for the benefit of the affected victims. (PTI)