Avinash Azad
A high-profile fraud case has come to light in Jammu, where the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch has booked Javaid Ashraf Bhatti, Manager of State Bank of India, for allegedly duping multiple victims of nearly ₹2 crore by fraudulently selling a petrol pump that did not belong to him — not once, but twice.
According to officials, two separate complaints of fraud were filed against Bhatti, which were subsequently clubbed by the Crime Branch Headquarters J&K before proceeding with investigation at EOW Jammu.
The first complaint was filed by Nazir Ahmed, son of late Hakim Din, resident of Gurha Brahmana, Bantalab, Jammu. Nazir alleged that Bhatti had approached him with claims of owning a petrol pump under the name Kala Kote Filling Station at Kalakote in Rajouri district. To make the deal appear legitimate, Bhatti allegedly showed fake ownership papers in his wife’s name, Tabassum Choudhary.
Believing the papers to be genuine, Nazir transferred ₹1.40 crore to Bhatti in two instalments — ₹1.17 crore and ₹23 lakh in cash. Later, upon verification, Nazir discovered that the petrol pump was actually registered in the name of Showket Ali of Treru, Tehsil Teryath, District Rajouri, and not Bhatti or his wife. Despite repeated requests to complete formal transfer, Nazir was allegedly given false assurances, eventually realizing he had been cheated.
The second complaint was lodged by Yudhveer Singh Sudan, son of Swaran Singh, resident of village Dei Chak, Bhadrore, currently residing at Canal Road, Jammu. Sudan claimed that in October 2018, Bhatti approached him regarding purchase of the same petrol pump, insisting that the deal could be finalized at ₹1.5 crore with the actual owner, Shaukat Ali of Rajouri.
Trusting Bhatti as an SBI Manager, Sudan paid him ₹18 lakh by cheque via RTGS into the account of Kala Kote Filling Station, and later an additional ₹19.5 lakh in cash. However, he soon noticed delay tactics. In January 2019, to his shock, Sudan found that Bhatti had started selling fuel at the inactive Kalakote filling station by allegedly transporting oil from his own IOCL pump at Jhajar Kotli, thus misleading both Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and HPCL.
Following further inquiries, Sudan learned that Bhatti had also duped Nazir Ahmed in the same manner.
Case Registered under Fraud and Conspiracy. Crime Branch officials confirmed that on prima facie verification of the complaints, the allegations established commission of cognizable offences. As a result, a formal FIR has been registered under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) at EOW, Crime Branch Jammu against Javaid Ashraf Bhatti, his wife, and others. The investigation has been formally entrusted to Dy.SP Sunil Bhardwaj of EOW Crime Branch Jammu, who will probe the case further, including money trails and possible involvement of others. Officials added that the fraudulent act not only victimized individuals but also undermined banking credibility, since the accused exploited his position as a serving SBI Manager to instill trust.
Criminal Modus Operandi:
Fake ownership papers in his wife’s name
Petrol pump sold illegally to two different buyers
Transactions worth over ₹2 crore through both cash and RTGS
False assurances and delay tactics to cover misdeeds Illegal sale of oil at Kalakote in violation of petroleum company norms
