{
  "id": 13006430,
  "title": "Meet ‘Charles Sobhraj of Kashmir’: Ex-doctor who ‘duped’ people by selling land owned by Pandit migrants",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/meet-charles-sobhraj-of-kashmir-ex-doctor-who-duped-people-by-selling",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-09T02:26:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Mint",
    "slug": "live-mint",
    "url": "https://www.livemint.com/news/india/meet-charles-sobhraj-of-kashmir-an-ex-doctor-duped-people-by-selling-land-owned-by-pandit-migrants-11791510820639.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An 80-year-old former Ayurvedic doctor, Somnath Koul, has been arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police for allegedly duping land buyers, predominantly Kashmiri migrant Pandits, over a decade. Dubbed 'Charles Sobhraj of Kashmir' for his skill at evading investigators, Koul was apprehended after a nine-month manhunt. Operating under various identities like Mohan Lal Dhar, Brijnath Bhat, and Hadinath Dhar, he utilized forged documents to sell land left behind by Pandit migrants. Koul would often pose as a lawyer facilitating property sales, an owner, or even claim victimhood, citing his role among the thousands of Kashmiri Pandits displaced due to militancy in the 1990s. The modus operandi involved identifying land left behind by Pandits, making deals with forged documents, collecting money, and vanishing. Police discovered Koul's fraudulent activities in January when his photograph, affixed to a fake sale document, was noticed. An investigation revealed fraudulent land deals dating back to 2017. Koul's deceptive tactics were so successful that he even destroyed his fingertips and failed iris scans during the investigation. Four other cases linked to Koul were also uncovered, totaling to five cases. Koul was sentenced to judicial custody in Srinagar Central Jail.",
  "summary": "The accused allegedly used multiple identities and forged documents to carry out the fraud. He was arrested after a nine-month manhunt, earning the moniker ‘Charles Sobhraj of Kashmir’ for his apparent ability to evade investigators.",
  "key_points": [
    "80-year-old ex-doctor Somnath Koul arrested for land fraud",
    "Operated under multiple identities, duped Pandit migrants",
    "Sold land left by Kashmiri Pandits displaced in 1990s"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The arrest of Somnath Koul, dubbed the \"Charles Sobhraj of Kashmir\", marks a significant breakthrough in curbing fraudulent land deals targeting Kashmiri migrant Pandits, who have been vulnerable to such scams since the 1990s.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}