Srinagar, July 30: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the Crime Branch J&K has filed a chargesheet against four persons in connection with a ₹15 lakh cheating case involving a fake cooking oil company.

The chargesheet, submitted before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, in FIR No. 77/2022 under Sections 420 and 120 B of the IPC, names Mohd Amin Bhat, Khalid Hussain Khan, Anil Kumar Maheshwari and Shashank Kumar as accused.

According to the investigation, the complainant was allegedly persuaded to deposit ₹15 lakh as a security amount for the supply of cooking oil after being assured that M/s Assured Agro Food Industries was a genuine manufacturing company. However, despite assurances, no stock was delivered.

The probe found that the accused had allegedly conspired to defraud the complainant under the pretext of supplying mustard oil. Verification with the Registrar of Companies, Rajasthan, revealed that no company by the name of M/s Assured Agro Food Industries was registered. Investigators also established the alleged involvement of the firm's purported owner, Shashank Kumar, a resident of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

After completing the investigation, the EOW filed the chargesheet before the competent court for judicial proceedings.

The Crime Branch has advised the public to stay alert against financial frauds and report suspicious activities to the SSP, EOW Kashmir. Victims of such frauds have also been urged to file complaints with the agency.