Manoj Tiwari's Facebook impostor nabbed for cheating songwriter

The impostor who had cheated Bhojpuri songwriter Ranju Sinha of Rs 4.75 lakh and stolen around 50 songs by posing as Bhojpuri actor Manoj Tiwari, has been arrested. The arrested accused has been identified as Pradeep Kumar Kamlesh Singh (24). He was arrested by the Bangur Nagar police from Haryana's Faridabad district through his mobile location, with the Haryana cyber cell unit.

Also read: Manoj Tiwari impostor cheats Bhojpuri writer of Rs 4.75 lakh on FB

Pradeep Singh created the fake Facebook profile as he is a huge fan of Manoj Tiwari

According to police sources Singh, a resident of Sector 24 in Faridabad, since the last six months worked as a singer. He has sung for Bhojpuri films and albums and sings in orchestras as well.

Tiwari's fan
A police officer from Bangur Nagar police station said, "Singh is a big fan of Bhojpuri actor and singer Manoj Tiwari and wanted to be like him because of which, he made a fake Facebook account in the actor's name. Looking at the profile, thousands of people became friends of his in a very short period. Thinking it was the real Manoj Tiwari, Sinha also became friends with him. Singh told Sinha he was making an album and took around 50 songs written by her, in addition to around Rs 4.75 lakh for the album."

mid-day's July 21 report on how Singh cheated songwriter Ranju Sinha on Facebook

"He used the amount for making his Bhojpuri albums and sang her songs in his orchestra and at functions. People liked his songs and he became very popular," he added.

In custody
The Bangur Nagar police have recovered two mobile phones and 4 SIM cards. The police also recovered two debit and ATM cards of two banks, one of which belongs to his wife Vandana. Singh has been booked under section 420 (cheating) and IT act 66 (c), and (d) produced in the Borivli Metropolitan Magistrate's court yesterday and remanded in police custody till July 28.