The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch, Kashmir, has registered a criminal case against five individuals accused of forging and circulating a fake National Health Mission (NHM) recruitment list.
According to officials, the accused created and distributed a fabricated “Provisional Selection List of Candidates for Different Posts (Kashmir Division)” purportedly issued under Notification No. SHS/NHM/J&K/HR/10259 dated May 10, 2021.
The forged document, which falsely carried the signature of the Mission Director, NHM Jammu & Kashmir, was widely circulated on social media platforms, misleading aspiring candidates and causing public confusion.
Complaint from NHM Triggers Probe
The case was registered after the State Nodal Officer of NHM, J&K, lodged a formal complaint with the Crime Branch, flagging the fake document as fraudulent. Following the complaint, the EOW initiated a preliminary inquiry at its Srinagar unit.
Investigators discovered that during the COVID-19 pandemic, an NGO named J&K Health Care Services had been approved by the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, to provide voluntary manpower in hospitals and primary health centers.
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However, officials said members of the NGO exploited this approval to execute a well-planned conspiracy. Under the guise of securing permanent employment under NHM, they collected documents and money from volunteers seeking jobs in the health sector.
Forgery and Fraud: How the Conspiracy Unfolded
EOW officials said the accused fabricated a fake NHM recruitment list and forged the signature of the Mission Director to give the document an official appearance. The counterfeit list was then circulated online to lend legitimacy to their scam.
“The NGO’s members took undue advantage of public desperation during the pandemic,” an EOW spokesperson said. “They collected money from several individuals by promising confirmed NHM appointments, knowing fully well that the document was forged.”
The accused have been identified as:
- Abdul Qayoom Naik, resident of Check Feroz Pora, Tangmarg
- Abdul Qayoom Khan, resident of Harwan, presently at Ompora, Budgam
- Mohammad Ashraf Hurrah, resident of Saria Bala, Srinagar
- Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi and Hilal Ahmad Bahar, both residents of Shadipora, Sumbal, Bandipora
Charges and Legal Action
Following the findings, EOW registered an FIR against the accused under multiple sections of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) — Sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged document as genuine), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) — read with Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act, which pertains to cheating by impersonation using computer resources.
Officials confirmed that further investigation is underway to identify other individuals involved and trace the financial trail of the scam.
Broader Concerns Over Pandemic-Era Frauds
The case has highlighted the risks of fraudulent recruitment and cyber-enabled deception during the pandemic years, when unemployment and health crises created fertile ground for exploitation. Authorities have urged citizens to verify official job notifications through authorized channels and avoid falling prey to unverified online claims.
