Trader held in multi-crore sapling scam

The Economic Offences Wing (Crime Branch Kashmir) on Saturday carried out searches at several locations in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district in connection with a sapling scam and arrested an Anantnag resident.

An official statement said Shahid Rehman, a resident of Shangus, Nowgam, Anantnag district, proprietor of M/s AR Trading Agri Services Pvt Ltd, was involved in swindling crores of rupees.

The Crime Branch said it received multiple written complaints wherein it was alleged that Shahid Rehman has cheated them on the pretext of providing them high-density apple plants. The complainants further alleged that the accused, after receiving huge amount of money, neither provided high-density apple plants nor returned the money but has gone into hiding.

“The perusal of bank transaction statements submitted by the complainants reveal that the accused has grabbed crores of rupees from innocent complainants/ farmers,” said officials.