Mumbai Crime: Former Under-19 Haryana cricketer held for duping people

Mrinank Singh befriended the businessman through social media. Pics/Twitter

A former cricketer, who used to play for Haryana Under-19s and was even included in the IPL auction list in 2018, was arrested by Juhu police on Thursday for allegedly cheating a city-based businessman of Rs 6 lakh by offering to get him expensive watches and mobile phones at a cheap rate. The accused, Mrinank Singh, 23, allegedly also duped several hotels by not paying for his stays, claiming he was a Mumbai Indians player and that the team manager would clear his tab.

Singh was apprehended from a five-star hotel in Parel late in the night and was produced before the court on Friday which remanded him in police custody till May 8. According to the complainant, a 35-year-old businessman from Juhu who makes reels for social media sites, he and Singh met on Instagram in 2018 and became friends. The duo later met and started to attend parties and events together.

Early in 2020, when the two had met, Singh allegedly told the complainant that he could get expensive watches and mobile phones at a cheap price using his connections and lured the businessman to give him Rs 6 lakh. Later when Singh stopped taking calls, the businessman realised he was duped. He, however, could not approach the police at that time due to the lockdown restrictions but had told his friends about the ordeal.

Mrinank Singh was included in IPL auction list in 2018. Pic/Instagram

Sources added that Singh has allegedly duped several others too with around 18 people lodging complaints against him. They said that Singh would allegedly pose as a Mumbai Indians player and live in five-star hotels. When the time came to pay the bills, he would tell the hotel that the team manager would pay the bill and leave.

Singh, a batting allrounder from Haryana, has played dozens of district, state and club-level matches in Haryana, Delhi and other states. His name was included in the auction list for IPL in 2018. Cops suspect he allegedly committed the crimes to maintain his lavish lifestyle.

May 8
Day till when he is in police custody

Rs 6 Lakh
Amount he duped of the businessman