FIR filed in Budgam over fake WhatsApp account impersonating SSP

Budgam, April 14: Police in Budgam have registered an FIR against an individual for allegedly operating a fake WhatsApp account in the name of the Senior Superintendent of Police and using it to influence people.

The case was registered after police received information that the accused was circulating screenshots of chats with the fake account among the public, projecting himself as a close aide of the SSP to gain undue influence.

The accused has been identified as Sameer Ali Bhat, son of Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, a resident of Pallar Budgam.

Police said verification revealed that the individual was involved in multiple FIRs and had been operating the fake WhatsApp account using a mobile number, while sharing conversation screenshots to build credibility and mislead people.

Acting on the information, Police Station Budgam registered FIR No. 90/2026 under Section 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66-C of the Information Technology Act.

Police have advised the public to remain cautious and not fall prey to impersonation attempts, urging citizens to rely only on officially published contact numbers to communicate with police or government departments.

Authorities also appealed to the public to report any such suspicious activity to the nearest police station for prompt action. [KNT]