--- title: "J&K editor posed as PMO official, duped people of Rs 4 crore" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/jk-editor-posed-as-pmo-official-415io publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Society published: 2026-08-18T10:07:27.657Z modified: 2026-08-18T12:30:05.656Z language: en-IN --- # J&K editor posed as PMO official, duped people of Rs 4 crore A Jammu and Kashmir-born editor was arrested in Delhi for posing as a PMO official and defrauding victims of over Rs 4 crore. The ED case cites large cash deposits and a constructed public-service persona built through photographed associations with officials. ## Key takeaways - Vijay Gupta, a 49-year-old editor from Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested in Delhi on charges of impersonating a PMO official and defrauding victims. - The ED case centers on deposits totaling Rs 4.06 crore alleged to be proceeds of crime under anti-money laundering law. - Gupta reportedly built a public persona through photographs with senior officials and extensive foreign travel, numbering 26 trips from 2016 to 2026. ## What Happened In Delhi, law enforcement officials moved to arrest a prominent figure from Jammu and Kashmir who presented himself as a powerful government insider. The Enforcement Directorate charged him with money laundering after an investigation that centers on cash deposits totaling about Rs 4.06 crore alleged to be proceeds of crime. The man, identified as Vijay Gupta, is described as the founder-editor of a local English daily in Jammu and Kashmir. The ED asserts that Gupta created an image of a high-ranking government official by circulating photographs with senior public officers and by undertaking numerous foreign trips aimed at boosting his credibility. Authorities noted that he allegedly posed as an influential PMO official to obtain monetary gains from victims. A court in Delhi later refused him bail, with a judge stating that Gupta used forged credentials, overseas travel, and photographs with public officials to impersonate a senior PMO officer for illicit advantage. The ED’s probe connected the alleged activity to a pattern of cash deposits totaling Rs 4.06 crore that the agency contends are proceeds of crime under the anti-money laundering law. The case was initiated after an FIR filed by the Delhi Police. The chronology of Gupta’s public persona includes travel and staged appearances, which appear to have supported the narrative he was a senior government figure. ## Why It Matters The authorities frame Gupta’s actions as a deliberate attempt to exploit trust in official channels for financial gain. By portraying himself as an official connected to the PMO and by circulating images with high-level officials, he reportedly sought to secure monetary advantages from individuals who believed they were interacting with a government representative. The bail denial underscores the court’s concern with the alleged use of authentic-looking credentials and public-facing displays to facilitate potential crimes, highlighting the risk of impersonation in a political environment where public offices are closely watched. ## Background Gupta’s rise began in his family setting in Jammu. He is described as the younger son of Subash Chander Gupta, a retired BSNL employee, and he did not complete his schooling. His father helped start a small transformer assembly business from a room in the family home in the Sarwal area of Jammu. Over time, Gupta shifted into selling locally manufactured batteries. Neighbours and acquaintances recall him borrowing money and failing to repay, leading to complaints and, in some cases, confrontations. In 2007, he started publishing a weekly newspaper called Young Bites, which later evolved into an English daily in 2013. His public-facing life included a pattern of proximity to political and administrative elites, with reports that he had access to personal security officers and driven inside the Civil Secretariat during sessions of the Assembly. He is described as having personally curated an image of influence, including a habit of sharing photographs with senior officials and engaging in overseas travel to reinforce that persona. Timeline highlights that Gupta’s social and professional profile extended across several high-profile events. A 2018 edition of his newspaper featured a photograph with a senior government official during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London. A New Year’s Eve 2019 photograph showed him with his wife and children alongside a senior Army officer, while a post around that period displayed him with a senior official during an Army-related appointment. ED authorities point to at least 26 foreign trips between 2016 and 2026 as part of creating an international image to bolster his claimed standing in government circles. ## Key Facts - Gupta, aged 49, is described as the founder-editor of a local Jammu and Kashmir English-language newspaper. - He was arrested on May 20 in Delhi by the Enforcement Directorate for posing as a PMO official and allegedly cheating victims of more than Rs 4 crore. - The ED investigation centers on cash deposits totaling Rs 4.06 crore; these funds are alleged to be proceeds of crime under the anti-money laundering law. - A Delhi court denied Gupta bail in July, with the judge stating that he used false credentials, foreign travels, and photographs with public officials to impersonate a PMO officer for illicit monetary gain. - Gupta undertook 26 foreign trips between 2016 and 2026, many aligned with overseas visits by the Prime Minister, to build a credible public image. - Photographs showing Gupta with senior government officials and with a senior Army officer were used to construct the persona of a high-ranking official. - He started a weekly publication, Young Bites, in 2007, which later became an English daily in 2013; his family background includes a transformer business and a father who is a retired BSNL employee. ## What Happens Next The ED case remains active with the court maintaining its position on Gupta’s detention as the investigation continues to examine the origin of the deposits and the breadth of alleged impersonation. No further court dates or prosecution milestones are specified in the provided material beyond the bail denial in July and the ongoing nature of the investigation into the alleged proceeds of crime. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/jk-editor-posed-as-pmo-official-415io Reported from: Multiple Sources