Srinagar: Srinagar Police on Thursday said they have arrested a woman accused in multiple cheating and stolen-gold cases, along with two of her associates, busting a racket that had been operating across several districts of the Kashmir Valley.
Police Station Lal Bazar carried out the operation based on sustained intelligence inputs that helped track down the main accused, Asmat Jan alias Taboo. She was wanted in several fraud cases registered in Lal Bazar, Safakadal, Chadoora, Sopore and Khrew in Awantipora. According to officials, she had been evading arrest for a long time by frequently moving between West Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra and Jammu.
Five police teams under the supervision of the SDPO and Zonal SP traced her to Hotel White House in Jalandhar, Punjab, where she was arrested after weeks of coordinated effort.
The Gold Association of Kashmir Valley had earlier raised concerns about her repeated involvement in cheating gold shopkeepers. FIR No. 42/2025 has been registered at PS Lal Bazar under Sections 303(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
During further investigation, police found credible evidence against two associates who were helping dispose of stolen gold. Both have now been arrested.
They have been identified as Shameem Ahmad Sheikh, son of Sonaullah Sheikh of Iqbal Colony, Indra Nagar, a goldsmith at Bohri Kadal accused of knowingly purchasing stolen gold at low rates and helping circulate it, and Basir Ahmad Dar, son of Abdul Aziz Dar of Nawakadal, who was involved in transporting and secretly disposing of the stolen gold.
All three are in custody, and police said more arrests and recoveries are likely as the investigation continues.
