Srinagar, April 6: A court in Srinagar on Thursday handed over custody of Kiranbhai Patel alias Bansi, who conned the security establishment in Jammu and Kashmir into believing him to be a PMO official and enjoyed five star protocol “brazenly” for a considerable period of time prior to his arrest last month.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, Raja Mohammad Tasleem, handed over the custody after Inspector of Police, Crime Branch Ahmadabad City Gujarat, M.M Solanki, submitted an application stating therein that Patel was required in case (FIR No. 11191011230073/2023) under section 406, 420, 170 and 120-B of the IPC.

He said investigation in the case was at its infancy stage and cannot be completed without the custodial investigation of the accused.

The court also perused case diary files in case (FIR No. 19/2023) under section 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 IPC of Police Station Nishat, Srinagar.

Subsequently it ordered the change of custody of the 43-year-old, a resident of Ghodasar Ahmadabad Gujarat.

“Incharge Superintendent Central Jail, Srinagar shall hand over the custody of (Patel) to Inspector of Police M.M Solanki after proper medical checkup,” the court said, adding, “The inspector M.M Solanki shall hand over the custody of said accused (Patel) to the Police Station Nishat, Srinagar after due completion of the investigation.”

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 has prima facie forged and manufactured some documents including some visiting cards on the basis of which he has 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