Crime Branch raids houses of Ayush doctors in ‘blackmailing’ case in Kashmir

Srinagar: The Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday raided residences of several Ayush doctors here over their alleged involvement in blackmailing through a ‘self-styled association’.
Official sources said that the sleuths of Crime Branch carried out raids at Lawaypora, Rainawara, HMT in Srinagar, Bohipora in Kupwara, New Light Colony, Botingoo in Sopore, Baramulla.
Raids were conducted following a complaint that the accused were running an association — Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha & Homeopathy (AYUSH) — from fake address without any true credentials.
According to the complaint, the fake Association was resorting to blackmailing, extortion and harassment.
They said during the probe it surfaced that the Association is not registered either with Registrar Societies or any Government Department. “The letter head used by the self-styled office bearers was used on fictitious names and with different fake addresses,” they said.
The probe further revealed members of the Association were threatening, blackmailing Indian System of Medicines employees with the departmental action, transfers and had collected huge amount in cash in the name of the Association.
The Crime Branch has registered a case 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. “Further investigation in the case is going on,” the sources added.