Srinagar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against habitual offender Zahid Bashir Sofi, popularly known as Shagoo, in connection with a high-profile Dubai export fraud.
The case, FIR No. 31/2023, has been lodged before the City Court of Srinagar under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, the CBK said in a statement issued here.
Shagoo, son of Bashir Ahmad, resident of Andrabi Colony, Narbal, remains at large as the investigation continues. The chargesheet was filed in absentia under Section 512 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), as both he and co-accused Javeed Ahmad Shah are currently absconding, the statement said.
This is not the first case involving Shagoo, who has a long history of fraudulent activities. He and his wife, Shugufta, have been implicated in multiple cases, including FIR No. 21/2022 and FIR No. 13/2018, related to fraudulent extraction of money under the pretext of gas agency dealings. In all these cases, chargesheets have been filed in absentia due to their continued evasion of arrest, the CBK said.
The latest case stems from a complaint alleging that Shagoo duped the complainant into investing ₹34,74,600 in a purported export business involving goods like mutton and rice destined for Dubai. According to police, Shagoo, in collusion with co-accused Javeed Ahmad Shah, orchestrated a scheme that included taking the victim to Punjab to sign forged agreements with “Mahabir Rice Mill” and other entities. The investigation revealed that Shagoo then escorted the victim to Dubai, creating a false sense of credibility around the venture, which was based on fabricated documents and misrepresentations.
The probe, according to the statement, established that the accused used forged agreements and deliberately induced the complainant into investing the money, which was subsequently misappropriated. The chargesheet details offenses under Sections 420 and 120-B RPC, emphasizing the recurring pattern of high-value frauds committed by Shagoo, resulting in significant financial losses for victims.
Authorities have urged anyone with information about Zahid Bashir Shagoo’s whereabouts to come forward. The identity of informants will be kept confidential, and the investigation remains ongoing. “If anyone has information regarding Zahid Bashir Shagoo’s location, they are requested to contact the investigating agency,” the CBK said.