Srinagar: The sleuths of Crime Branch Srinagar on Friday apprehended a wanted fraudster who had been evading arrest for multiple cases of cheating, forgery and fake appointments under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

The accused has duped various job seekers of more than Rs 50 Lakhs on the pretext of providing them with jobs.

This accused identified as Manzoor Hussain Qadri, a resident of Poshwani Pattan was arrested from the Sanatnagar area of Srinagar.

The spokesperson for the Crime Branch in a statement said that the accused has a long history of criminal charges, with various FIRs pending against him. “The accused’s modus operandi involved enticing vulnerable young individuals from different areas by promising them government jobs. He would then deceive them and extort large sums of money, engaging in cheating and other criminal activities.”

One case under investigation involves the accused taking Rs 23 Lakhs from complainants by falsely claiming to secure government jobs for individuals from Jammu and Poonch. ” In case FIR No. 36/2014 U/S 420,468,120-B RPC of P/S CBK, the accused is involved in grabbing an amount of Rs. 23.00 lacks from the complainants on the pretext of engaging various persons of Jammu and Poonch etc in Govt. Jobs and gave fake appointment orders to them etc. The investigation is in the said case is under progress.”

The accused also falsely provided them with counterfeit appointment orders. “The investigation into this case is currently ongoing. Another case, registered under FIR No. 65/2016, reveals the accused’s involvement in issuing fake appointment orders to candidates. These orders were later discovered to be forged. The investigation into this matter is also in progress,” the statement reads.

In case FIR No. 65/2016 u/s 420, 468, 109 RPC of P/S CBK, the accused is involved in providing appointment orders in respect of some candidates, which were later on found to be fake and forged.

Similarly, in case FIR No. 05/2017 U/S 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 RPC P/S CBK, the accused was found involved in issuance of a fake and forged appointment order bearing NO. 511 of FD/2013 dated 17.03.2013 of Forest Department, purported to have been issued by Commissioner Secretary Forests Civil Secretariat, Srinagar. “The investigation of the instant case has been closed as proved and charge sheet thereof presented before the Hon’ble court of Special Mobile Magistrate 13th Finance Srinagar, on 30.06.2022 against him,” reads the statement.

“In case FIR No. 42/2023 u/s 420,468 RPC of P/S EOW, the accused is involved in providing a fake appointment order bearing No: 741 dated 23.06.2012 and a fake Departmental Identity Card to the complainant for an amount of Rs. 2.15 lakh. The investigation is in the said case is under progress,” reads the statewment.

In case FIR No. 51/2023 u/s 420,468, 471 RPC of P/S EOW, the accused has cheated the complainants for an amount of Rs. 15 Lacs on the promise of providing them with government jobs and instead provided them with fake appointment orders of Agriculture Department and Forest Department. The investigation is in the said case is under progress.

Further, in case FIR No. 52/2023 U/S 420,68,471 RPC of P/S EOW, the accused has cheated the complainant by promising him that he would manage to get his sons appointed in the Forest Department for which the complainant gave an amount of Rs. 14.50 lacs to the accused, which was grabbed. The investigation is in the said case is under progress.

The accused has been lodged at Central Jail Kot Bhalwal Jammu under PSA, in compliance to PSA detention warrant issued by District Magistrate Srinagar.