‘Charles Sobhraj of Kashmir’: 80-year-old ex-doctor arrested for allegedly selling land left behind by Kashmiri Pandit migrants

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested an 80-year-old former Ayurvedic doctor accused of cheating land buyers through fraudulent property deals involving land left behind by Kashmiri Pandit migrants, officials said.

The accused, identified as Somnath Koul, allegedly used multiple identities, including Mohan Lal Dhar, Brijnath Bhat and Hadinath Dhar, to execute the suspected fraud using forged documents, according to reports.

He has been dubbed the ‘Charles Sobhraj of Kashmir’ because of his alleged ability to evade investigators for an extended period. He was arrested following a nine-month manhunt.

According to police, Koul allegedly identified properties belonging to Kashmiri Pandit migrants and approached prospective buyers, sometimes posing as the owner and at other times as an authorised representative facilitating the sale. He would allegedly collect money through agreements supported by forged documents before disappearing.

The investigation gained momentum in January after police noticed Koul’s photograph on a suspected fake property sale document. The discovery led investigators to examine several alleged fraudulent transactions dating back to 2017.

The case came to light after a south Kashmir resident approached the Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch in November 2025, alleging that he had paid ₹93 lakh for around five kanals of land in Drusoo, Pulwama, along with 300 poplar trees in Bijbehara.

The complainant reportedly discovered the alleged fraud when he approached a court to have the agreement to sell ratified and was informed that the property did not belong to the person named as the seller.

Police subsequently registered a formal case against Koul in April 2026. Investigators also traced Ghulam Mohidin Dar, a Budgam-based land broker accused of helping attract prospective buyers. Dar was arrested in September, according to reports.

During the investigation, police allegedly uncovered multiple identity documents bearing different names. His service records reportedly identified him as Brijnath Bhat, while his Aadhaar documents carried the names Somnath Koul and Mohan Lal Dhar.

Investigators also examined several earlier complaints linked to alleged fraudulent land deals. In one case dating back to 2017, Koul allegedly negotiated a property deal worth ₹55 lakh in the Pattan area of Baramulla and disappeared after receiving ₹9.17 lakh as an advance.

In another case in 2021, he allegedly collected ₹47 lakh from a prospective buyer in a transaction involving migrant property before going missing. Police also reportedly uncovered further complaints involving alleged fraudulent sales of the same property to different buyers.

Investigators said Koul had taken extensive measures to conceal his identity, with biometric verification reportedly posing difficulties during the probe. He is currently lodged in Srinagar Central Jail in judicial custody.