SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir (CBK) has filed a chargesheet in a fraud and forgery case against Fouzia Afzal, a Class-IV employee posted in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, before the Court of the 4th Additional Munsiff Judge, Srinagar.
According to EOW, the chargesheet has been submitted in FIR No. 54/2023 under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code, accusing Fouzia Afzal, daughter of Mohd Afzal Magray and resident of Rehmatullah Colony, Sector-B, Fruit Mandi, Parimpora, of issuing fake allotment orders for shops and residential plots.
The case stemmed from a complaint alleging large-scale cheating, in which the accused is said to have forged allotment orders bearing fabricated signatures of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, along with a forged seal of the District Magistrate, Srinagar. A detailed investigation was initiated by EOW Kashmir following the complaint.
Investigators found that the accused allegedly duped several people of lakhs of rupees by falsely promising allotment of shops at Jehangir Chowk, five-marla plots at Bemina, and appointment orders for Junior Assistant posts in various government departments. Fake documents carrying forged official signatures were supplied to victims to make the transactions appear genuine.
The probe further revealed that the accused acted in her private capacity after office hours, impersonating senior government officials from departments including the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Srinagar Municipal Corporation and the Divisional Commissioner’s office, Kashmir.
EOW said the investigation also established that Fouzia Afzal is a habitual offender, with multiple FIRs registered against her at different police stations in Srinagar district, while several other complaints remain under investigation with the Crime Branch. She has already been placed under suspension, and a departmental enquiry has recommended her premature retirement under Article 226(2) of the JK Service Conduct Rules, as per an enquiry report dated October 14, 2023.
The EOW said the investigation in the case has been concluded as “proved” and the chargesheet has been submitted for judicial adjudication.
