Crime Branch Kashmir on Tuesday carried out searches at various locations across the Kashmir Valley in connection with a case registered against 8 Ayush doctors amid allegations of “extortion and blackmailing” by them while running a “self-styled” Association.
The Crime Branch Kashmir had registered the case (FIR No. 34/2021) under section IPC sections of 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 506 (criminal intimidation) besides 5(2) Prevention of Corruption Act in Police Station Crime Branch Kashmir against the eight doctors following a written complaint, alleging that a fake association of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha & Homeopathy (AYUSH) Doctors are running within J&K.
An officer of a crime branch told that searches were carried out at the residence of the association’s senior vice president at Bohipora Kupwara, association’s President at Trison City Lawaypora Srinagar, Vice President’s house at HMT Srinagar, General Secretary’s house at New Light Colony Sopore, Joint Secretary’s house at Botingoo Sopore and Treasurer’s house at Hassi Bhat Rainawari.
In the complaint, leading to the registration of the case, the complainant had also said that the Association was running on fake addresses without any true credentials.
The complainant, they said, also alleged that the fake Association was also resorting to blackmailing, extortion, harassment to Indian System of Medicines (ISM) employees.
During the course of the probe, they said, it surfaced that the Association is not registered either with Registrar Societies or any Government Department. The letterhead used by the self-styled office bearers (8 doctors) was used on fictitious names and with different fake addresses.
The probe so far has further revealed that members of the Association were threatening, blackmailing Indian System of Medicines employees with the departmental action, transfers and have collected huge amounts of cash in the name of the Association. The investigation is in progress and will be concluded on its merits, they added.