Srinagar, July 20: The Special Crime Wing (SCW), Kashmir, of the Crime Branch, Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday launched simultaneous searches at multiple locations in Srinagar and Ganderbal districts as part of an investigation into an alleged extortion racket involving fraudsters posing as officials of the Crime Branch and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
The searches are being carried out in connection with FIR No. 18/2026, registered under Sections 204, 319(2), 308(2), 338 and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the Crime Branch, the accused are part of an organised gang that allegedly impersonated Crime Branch and ACB officials to target senior citizens. The gang is accused of threatening victims with fabricated complaints, falsely claiming they would be arrested, and extorting large sums of money from them.
Investigators said the accused allegedly extorted more than Rs 30 lakh from a senior citizen residing in Srinagar.
Searches are being conducted at the residences of four accused persons identified as Mubashir Ahmad Yatto (Wani) of Rangil, Nagbal in Ganderbal; Naseer Maqbool Bichoo of Khwaja Yarbal, Saidakadal, Srinagar; Mudasir Sadiq Najar of Kalal Doori, Naid Kadal, Srinagar; and Muneer Ahmad Mir of Gousia Colony, Elahi Bagh, Srinagar.
Officials said the searches are aimed at recovering incriminating evidence and uncovering the wider network involved in the alleged criminal conspiracy.
The Crime Branch has urged the public to remain vigilant against individuals involved in offences such as cheating, forgery, cyber-enabled crimes, impersonation and other forms of organised criminal activity.
It advised citizens not to fall prey to fraudulent schemes, forged documents or false promises made for unlawful gain and appealed to anyone with information about such activities to immediately report the matter to the nearest police station or the Crime Branch so that legal action can be initiated promptly.
