Srinagar, June 10, KNT: The Counter-Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) unit of Jammu and Kashmir Police has apprehended an individual for impersonating a senior police officer by misusing the official’s photograph as his WhatsApp profile picture and issuing threats.
The CIK had received credible input indicating that a person identified as Barkat Ali Parray, son of Ghulam Mohammad Parray, a resident of Sheltang, Srinagar, was impersonating a police officer. The suspect had used the photograph of the SSP CIK as his WhatsApp display picture in an apparent attempt to mislead and intimidate others.
“Acting swiftly on the input, CIK teams tracked the suspect through digital surveillance and apprehended him at Jehangir Chowk, Srinagar. On examining his mobile device, it was confirmed that he had indeed set the photograph of the SSP CIK as his WhatsApp profile image,” the statement read.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the suspect had downloaded the photograph from the internet and used it to falsely project himself as a senior police officer.
Further verification uncovered that the individual has been actively involved in online gambling over the past year, including on platforms such as ‘Aviator’ and ‘777’. It came to light that he had made advance payments on the ‘777’ platform and later misused the identity of the SSP CIK to threaten the gambling organizers in an attempt to recover his money.
“The suspect’s digital devices have been seized for forensic analysis to determine any further involvement in anti-social or anti-national activities,” the statement said, adding that further investigation is underway. [KNT]
