The story of Kiran Bhai Patel, the super conman who managed security cover in India's most secure place, makes Bollywood's 'Natwarlal' look like a child prankster.
Even after his luck ran out on his third high profile visit to Kashmir, Kiran Patel has earned himself a place in the annals of forgery, cheating, effrontery, daredevilry and guts far ahead of Steven Spielberg's notorious con artist, Frank Abagnale in 'Catch Me If You Can'.
Patel came to Kashmir posing as an additional director (Strategy and Campaign) in the PMO. His pretence was so perfect that the authorities gave him a security cover befitting the 'high post' he claimed to hold.
The most baffling part of how he got the security cover is that instead of the orders coming from the top, a district magistrate in a mufasil district managed security for the con man after taking a senior superintendent of police (SSP) in-charge of the security wing in the Valley into confidence.
Credible sources say the district magistrate had been introduced to the 'top bureaucrat' by a right wing cadre who had been staying in the south Kashmir district for a while.
He met the DM and the SSP several times to win their confidence and they swallowed his bluff, hook, line and the rod.
The duo became so sure about the authenticity of the 'top bureaucrat' that they ignored the basic guidelines governing the procedure.
The orders for providing security to any visiting dignitary must come from the chief secretary who follows a defined procedure while doing so.
The chief secretary receives the communication about any high profile visit from the concerned ministry at the Centre. He then passes on orders for the defined protocol to the concerned departments.
For providing security cover to any visiting dignitary, the order has to come from the chief secretary.
In this case, the police officer decided on his own that the 'top bureaucrat' has to be given 'Z' category security cover.
He told his bosses in routine that a PMO delegation is visiting the Valley and, as such, the security is being provided by him.
A number of highly trained armed guards, a bullet proof Scorpio vehicle and escort vehicles were provided to the conman who moved with such confidence in the bullet proof vehicle that nobody doubted his genuineness.
After his first visit to Kashmir in October last year, Kiran Patel became confident that he had successfully hijacked the system.
Even he doubted the ease and smoothness with which the system fell to his con craft.
He started taking meetings with the officers. He took meetings at a number of places with officers. He took feedback on the ground situation. He wanted to know whether assembly elections can be held here sometime soon.
He reviewed development in the areas he visited. He invited a local BJP leader and asked him to meet him in the 5-star hotel where he was staying with his staff.
He told the BJP leader that the PMO wanted to hold some public rallies and the BJP leader should associate himself with that 'campaign'.
The BJP leader requested the 'top civil servant' to take up the issue with the party high command in the UT so that the campaign is well managed and organised.
Interestingly, the payment for the stay of the so-called 'PMO delegation' at hotel Lalit Grand Palace in Srinagar was not made by the security department.
The hotel received the payment in advance from the 'PMO official' before he landed in Srinagar on his third visit.
At the time of his arrest, the hotel still had around Rs 1.50 lakh lying as advance payment with them from the 'top civil servant'.
In between his 'official engagements', the conman came to city centre Lal Chowk to pose for a photograph in front of the clock tower.
He also visited the otherwise restricted Uri sector of the LoC where he took pictures at the Kaman Post outside the gate to the 'Aman Setu Bridge' that leads to Pakistan occupied part of J&K.
He wore very simple clothes, a black waistcoat over a white shirt and a matching, but not very expensive, pair of pants.
He also wore sunglasses. His dress was typical of a senior bureaucrat who meant business.
He made a serious mistake during a meeting he took during his visit to Doodhpathri tourist spot in Budgam district.
He asked the district magistrate about the concerned SDM who was not in the meeting.
"Where is your SDM? I am here and your SDM is absent".
The district magistrate told him politely that since the DM was present in the meeting, the SDM was attending his routine duties elsewhere and once the head of the district administration was present what role did the SDM have?
The meeting ended. The young DM got suspicious. The 'top Babu' had fumbled on protocol.
He should have known that the SDM can deputise at meetings when the DM is not present.
The DM musters courage to express his doubts to the local CID chief. The CID chief does not waste a minute. He swings into action. The same day, he alerts the police who collected preliminary evidence and landed up at the 5-star hotel.
Kiran Patel was arrested. The rest of his personal staff was questioned. Their addresses were recorded and they were allowed to go.
Kiran Patel wanted to ease himself. He entered the washroom, pulled out over a dozen fake I-cards with different names and tried to flush them.
The cards did not get washed out and the police recovered all of them.
He had multiple identities. He was a PMO official, the CEO of a number of companies, a real estate broker and much more.
His wife has been a made-for-each-other soulmate. She has defrauded a senior Gujarat politician.
As real estate agents the couple approached the Gujarat politician who wanted to sell his house.
Patel's wife told the politician that the property would fetch much more than expected if the house was renovated and then sold.
The renovation deal was finalised at Rs 35 lakh. Madam started working on renovation of the house. One day the name plate of the Patel's appeared on the gate.
Friends and acquaintances were told that the couple had bought the property. A house warming party was held. Videos and pictures were taken.
The politician came to know of this. With great difficulty he got the house vacated, but the Patels have filed a civil suit in the court showing evidence of the nameplate on the gate and the housewarming party.
The couple has claimed that they had bought the property. The civil suit is now lying in the court of law.
There are half dozen FIRs of fraud, impersonation, cheating etc., lodged in Gujarat against the con man. His wife has been arrested by Gujarat police.
The son of a PRO of Gujarat Chief Minister has been associated with the conman. The PRO resigned after the conman's cover blew.
An FIR of fraud has been lodged in a Srinagar police station wherein a local claims that the conman has taken Rs 18 lakhs from him.
Given his guts and effrontery, a charge of cheating that amounts to Rs 18 lakhs could be chiller the conman collected during his visit to Kashmir.
Local police have been professionally investigating every angle of the case. The 'illustrious career of the civil servant' has come to an end, but not before he became the dubious hero of a future super hit Bollywood or even Hollywood movie. [IANS/NS]
