Cops to question filmstars duped by conman

The Mumbai crime branch will record statements of 10-15 prominent filmstars, politicians and government officials whom 32-year-old Vijay Dwivedi duped by posing as the son of Congress leader Janardhan Dwivedi.

The Mumbai crime branch will record statements of 10-15 prominent filmstars, politicians and government officials whom 32-year-old Vijay Dwivedi duped by posing as the son of Congress leader Janardhan Dwivedi.

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The police will also record the statements of any one who had been in touch with Dwivedi to ascertain whether they too had been conned.

Sources in the crime branch said those swindled by Dwivedi included actor Govinda — for roles in bollywood films, and actress Shweta Tiwari, who gave him acting lessons at concessional rates in Mumbai.

Dwivedi was arrested by the property cell from Lokhandwala on Thursday by a team led by police inspector Nandkumar Gopale on Thursday. He was remanded in police custody till October 16 by a local court on Friday.

Dwivedi, a native of Amethi told the police during questioning that he wanted to be an actor and had started cheating people in Delhi, where an acting school denied him admission, but later admitted him when he dropped the name of the Congress leader. He told the police he had two wives, one at his native place and the second in the city.

Dwivedi claims to have worked in Telugu films for Rs 7 lakh per role. Police have booked Dwivedi under Section 419 of the Indian penal code , for cheating by impersonation, and under Section 420, for cheating.