Srinagar, October 8:
Three individuals, including office bearers of the Kashmir Lawyers Federation (KLF), have been arrested in Srinagar in connection with a cyber fraud case involving a fake stock trading app and WhatsApp groups.
According to Kashmir Dot Com, the arrests were made by the Gurgaon Cyber Police and the accused were produced before the City Judge/JMFC Srinagar, which granted a transit remand for further investigation in Haryana.8
The case relates to FIR No. 325, registered on September 6, 2025, at Cyber West Police Station, Palam Vihar, Gurgaon, under Sections 318(8), 319, and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. The complainant, Ravi Dutt Sharma, alleged that he was defrauded of over ₹1.9 crore after being added to a WhatsApp group promoting a stock investment scheme promising high returns. The investments were made through a fake app called “Stocks Nuama Pro”, and attempts to withdraw funds were blocked with repeated demands for fees.The arrested individuals include Shahnawaz Akhtar, resident of House No. 30, Irfan Colony, Natipora, Srinagar, who has been identified as the Coordinator of the Kashmir Lawyers Federation (KLF) and is accused of masterminding the operation. Rameez Ahmad Khan, resident of VPO Arath, PS Solibugh, District Budgam, is alleged to have handled the siphoning of funds, with investigations revealing his involvement in defrauding multiple victims. Suhale Ashraf, resident of Village Khummoh, Lasjan, PS Panthachowk, District Srinagar, and Vice President of the Kashmir Lawyers Federation, is implicated as Accused No. 3 for his role in processing fraudulent transactions amounting to over ₹1.22 crore from the complainant alone.
Court documents indicate that the accused may have defrauded additional victims, and further investigation is underway. The court reviewed the police application and found sufficient grounds to authorize the transit remand from Srinagar to Gurgaon, allowing police to continue investigations while ensuring the safety of the accused during transfer. (KDC)