EOW Kashmir Files Chargesheet Against Four in Rs 15 Lakh Fake Cooking Oil Scam

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SRINAGAR JULY 30 — The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir, Crime Branch J&K, has formally filed a chargesheet before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, against four individuals involved in an alleged Rs 15 lakh financial fraud. The legal proceedings stem from FIR No. 77/2022, charging the accused under IPC Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy). Those named in the chargesheet include Srinagar locals Mohd Amin Bhat (Khanyar) and Khalid Hussain Khan (Gasiyar Hawal), alongside out-of-state associates Anil Kumar Maheshwari (Jaipur, Rajasthan) and Shashank Kumar (Meerut, Uttar Pradesh).

The case unfolded after a local victim submitted a complaint alleging he was fraudulently induced to pay a Rs 15 lakh security deposit under the promise of receiving commercial supplies of mustard oil. Representatives claiming to act for “M/s Assured Agro Food Industries”—including Bhat, Khan (acting as Area Sales Manager), and Maheshwari (Regional Sales Manager)—guaranteed delivery within a week. However, no product was ever delivered. Subsequent investigations by the EOW, which included verification with the Registrar of Companies in Rajasthan, confirmed that M/s Assured Agro Food Industries was a non-existent, fake entity. Further inquiries established a criminal conspiracy that tied the fake enterprise back to its purported owner, Shashank Kumar. Following the formal submission of charges for judicial trial, the Crime Branch issued an advisory urging the public to exercise caution against economic scams and to report suspicious activities directly to the EOW Kashmir.