Srinagar court rejects fake PMO official's bail application

A court on Thursday dismissed the bail application of Kiran Bhai Patel who had posed as a senior official of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) prior to his arrest by the police on March 2.

"The bail application is without any merit," Raja Muhammad Tasleem, chief judicial magistrate, Srinagar said in his order on Thursday.

"I am of the considered opinion that arguments advanced by the public prosecutor are just, proper and appealing and carry much weight... and on the other hand, I respectfully disagree with the submission put forth by counsel for the applicant (Patel) because in case at this stage discretion of bail is exercised in favour of the accused, it shall definitely destroy the very fabric of the investigation.

"Resultantly, in my considered opinion the instant application is devoid of any merit which deserves to be rejected, hence rejected."

The conman was arrested from a 5-star hotel in Srinagar on March 4. He had been claiming to be an additional director in the PMO before his cover blew.

Patel is currently lodged in the judicial custody.