The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has searched 12 locations in Gujarat in connection with the money-laundering probe against Kiranbhai Jagdishbhai Patel who allegedly impersonated as a senior government official serving in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
On Saturday, the agency said the probe is against Mr. Patel and his associates, Jay Savjibhai Sitapara, Hardik Kishorebhai Chandrana, Vitthalbhai Motibhai Patel, Amit Pandya and Piyush Kantibhai Vasita. The searches were carried out by the ED’s Srinagar unit (Jammu and Kashmir) in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Morbi and Mehsana.
The main accused had posed himself as Dr. Kiran Patel, Additional Director with the PMO (strategies & campaigns) and cheated several people for monetary and material benefits. The ED investigation is based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered against him at the Nishat police station in Srinagar.
According to the ED, Mr. Patel is a habitual imposter. Six other FIRs have been registered against him and his family members in Gujarat for cheating people. In March, the J&K police had arrested him for pretending to be a top ranking PMO official. On the social media, he had allegedly posted video clips and pictures of his visits to different places in J&K, escorted by security personnel.
