From cricketer to conman: The tale of deception and scams involving Rishabh Pant and others
By Ovaise Shariff | First Published Dec 28, 2023, 2:09 PM ISTA 25-year-old, once a promising U-19 cricketer, transforms into a conman orchestrating elaborate scams. From cheating luxury hotels to deceiving India's cricketer Rishabh Pant, this intriguing story unfolds a web of false identities, hotel frauds, and a trail of victims.
A 25-year-old, once a U-19 cricketer for Haryana, transitioned into a conman, orchestrating scams that targeted luxury hotels, resorts, and notable individuals, including India's wicketkeeper-batsman, Rishabh Pant. Mrinank Singh, driven by a desire for opulence, assumed a false identity as an IPL cricketer associated with the Mumbai Indians team, exploiting this façade to deceive women and renowned sports accessory brands. Operating a dual persona, he executed elaborate schemes to evade scrutiny.
Former cricketer Mrinank Singh was arrested for allegedly duping Rishabh Pant of ₹1.6 crore and cheating luxury hotels by posing as an IPS officer.
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The conman's modus operandi involved posing as an IPL cricketer who had played for Mumbai Indians between 2014 and 2018, leveraging this claim to enjoy luxurious experiences in high-end restaurants and five-star hotels without settling bills. In 2022, he incurred a bill of ₹5.53 lakh at Delhi's Taj Palace Hotel, falsely asserting that Adidas would cover the expenses. When the hotel sought payment, he provided a fake transaction ID and vanished.
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Aware of police pursuit, the conman went off the grid, creating a false impression that he had relocated to Dubai. However, a lookout notice led to his detention at the Delhi airport on December 25, almost a year after the hotel incident.
Employing a backup identity as an IPS officer from Karnataka named Alok Kumar, he attempted to mislead immigration officials. Using this ruse, he called senior police officials, claiming assistance for his "son" Mrinank Singh, detained at the airport.
Despite efforts to mislead authorities by alleging familial connections to Indian cricket and Air India, the conman was arrested. His extensive frauds included cheating Rishabh Pant of ₹1.63 crore in 2020-2021. The police uncovered objectionable content on his phone and linked him to drug-related activities, leading to multiple cases filed across different states.
With a Commerce degree from Delhi University's Hindu College and an MBA in Human Resources from OPJS University, Rajasthan, the accused has been disowned by his family, who claim "no control over him." Currently in police custody for two days, investigations into his fraudulent activities are ongoing.
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