Jammu, Nov 4: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Jammu has arrested a man from Budgam who was wanted in an alleged Rs 8 lakh fake government job scam and had been evading arrest since 2024.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Shafi Bhat, a resident of Kralpora, Budgam, was wanted in connection with FIR No. 35/2018 registered at Police Station Crime Branch Jammu under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 201 and 120 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).
According to the Crime Branch, the case pertains to allegations that the accused and others cheated complainants on the pretext of providing government jobs. They allegedly prepared forged documents and issued fake appointment orders to extract Rs 8 lakh from the victims.
The accused was declared an absconder by a competent court under Section 512 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in March 2026.
Acting on specific information about his presence in his native village, an EOW team apprehended him. He was subsequently produced before the court of the Sub-Judge, Special Mobile Magistrate, Jammu, which remanded him to two days of judicial custody at Amphalla Jail.
The Crime Branch said the arrest takes the number of absconders apprehended by EOW Jammu to five in the last three months.
SSP Crime Branch (EOW) Jammu has urged accused persons evading judicial proceedings to surrender and cooperate with the legal process, warning that further action would be taken in accordance with law.
