Who is Kiran Patel? The conman who tricked Jammu and Kashmir officials by posing as PM's close aide

A conman from Gujarat Kiran Patel deceived the Jammu and Kashmir officials by posing as a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had been feigning VIP status the entire time, which allowed him to get Z-plus security protection, a bulletproof SUV, and official lodging at a five-star hotel in Jammu & Kashmir.

Patel had claimed that the government had given him the task of finding buyers for apple orchards in south Kashmir. Moreover, he had previously gone to the popular tourist destination Gulmarg stating that he was on a government assignment to look into improving the hotel amenities there.

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To further fool the administration, Patel would talk of powerful politicians and influential bureaucrats in the national capital. This left a number of IAS officers in disbelief.

However, the conman was caught on March 2 when he arrived at the airport. Security officials became suspicious and Patel's covert identity was exposed asno information ofanyVIP movement was available for that day.

An effort was made to stop him at the airport, but the conman had already gotten into a bulletproof car for his hotel. A case under relevant sections of cheating and forgery was registered against him on March 2.

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Kiran Patel was apprehended on March 3 by vigilant security personnel while making his third trip to the Kashmir valley. He was produced before a court in Srinagar, as per reports. Patel was reportedly sent to 15-day judicial custody.

Who is Kiran Patel?

As per his Twitter Bio, he is a PhD holder from Commonwealth University, Virginia, an MBA from IIM, Trichy, M.Tech in Computer Science and B.E. Computer in LD Engineering. He also claims to be a "Thinker, Strategist, Analyst, Campaign Manager."

He would post videos on his social media from the picturesque valley of Gulmarg, where he could be seen surrounded by securitymen against a background of snow-covered mountains.

“My husband is an engineer and I am a doctor. My husband went there for development work as he is an engineer and nothing else. He has done nothing wrong. Our advocate there is looking after the matter. My husband will never do wrong to anyone. I cannot comment further," the conman's wife Malini Patel was quoted as saying by media reports.

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As per media reports, Patel has duped many people in Gujarat also by promising them government contracts or clearances. Three cases are registered against him in Gujarat. Meanwhile, the opposition parties are now pointing fingers at the administration and raising questions on the security lapse.

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