23-year-old, with red beacon car, held for cheating young cricketers

A 23-year-old man was arrested in south Delhi for cheating young cricketers on the pretext of guaranteeing them an entry to a county cricket club in England, police said on Monday.

A 23-year-old man was arrested in south Delhi for cheating young cricketers on the pretext of guaranteeing them an entry to a county cricket club in England, police said on Monday.

HT Image

According to police, the accused, identified as Manish Redu, used to travel in an expensive Toyota Camry car with a red beacon atop and had cheated as many as 2,500 people by projecting himself as someone who had links with famous cricketers.

“We arrested Redu on May 22 on a tip-off that he had invited a renowned cricketer, of the international Indian Cricket team, to inaugurate a Junior Cricket League at a prestigious school in Gurgaon,” said Chhaya Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (south).

Redu was arrested following investigations into a complaint filed by an under-19 state-level cricketer, identified as Wasim Akram, on March 23.

Police said, Akram had met Redu at his coaching academy in Dwarka, and subsequently, been cheated of Rs lakh.

“Redu had flaunted his contacts, promised Akram an entry into county cricket league in England and demanded Rs lakh in return. In fact, Redu took Akram to Hauz Khas on the pretext of meeting a renowned cricketer,” DCP Sharma said.

After he waited outside the residence where he had been taken by Redu, Akram was assured of a berth in the English league. Akram had then given Redu Rs 3 lakh and gone home.

However, soon after, when Redu did not get back to him after a couple of days as per his promise, Akram approached the police on March 23.

A case was registered.

“Redu used to run a business in manufacturing sports outfits which failed and subsequently, to compensate for his loss, planned to cheat young cricketers,” DCP Sharma added.