Screw tightens on Badshah in fake followers racket; summoned again by Mumbai crime branch

Rapper Badshah has been summoned by Mumbai Crime Branch's Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) on August 20 in connection with social media fake followers racket case. Earlier, Badshah was snapped arriving at the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) on August 7. As per PTI, he was questioned for over nine hours.   

'...liable for appropriate legal action'

"During the course of the investigation, it has been revealed that accused persons run the racket of creating fake identities on various social media platforms viz Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc. and thereby creating fake performance statistics such as fake followers, fake comments, fake views etc; in order to inflate influencers' performance statistics," read the summon by Crime Branch.

"Whereas there are reasons to believe that you are acquainted with certain facts of the matter and Whereas there are reasons to believe that you are repeatedly attempting to derail the ongoing investigation by not attending and Whereas there are reasons to believe that there are discrepancies in your earlier statements and factual circumstances, and you are suppressing certain material facts, And, whereas it is necessary to record your further statement in the ongoing investigation in this regard," it said.

"Therefore, you are hereby directed to remain present before the undersigned at the above-mentioned address on August 20, 2020, at 11:30 hrs, failing which you will be liable for appropriate legal action against you," it said.

Badshah releases statement

Badshah also released a statement after appearing for questioning before the Mumbai Police in the case. The singer-rapper claimed that he had aided the officials in the investigation by co-operating and carrying out ‘due diligence’. He revealed that he ‘categorically’ denied all the allegations levelled against him and that he never got involved in ‘such practices’.

Allegedly, one of the songs of Badshah -- "Pagal hai" -- got 75 million views in a day but Google dismissed this claim. The Crime Branch wants to verify this claim made by Badshah. The Crime Branch has sought the list of followers from Badshah. It has registered the statement of one of the complainants in the matter, Koena Mitra.

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Cricket commentator & VJ Gaurav Kapur and RJ Roshan Abbas too had been summoned in the case. "Mumbai Police SIT has verified 25 people till now. A few of them have recorded their statements as witnesses in this case as of now," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Nandkumar Thakur, Crime Branch was quoted as saying on July 29.

READ | Harsha Bhogle takes swipe at 'buying fake followers, views' amid Badshah's controversy

According to ANI, in total, the Crime Branch has questioned 20 people in the matter so far. The Home Minister has earlier directed the Mumbai Police to act tough on the fake followers case.

READ | Sona Mohapatra takes a dig at rapper Badshah over buying fake followers and views

READ | Badshah releases statement after being questioned by Mumbai Police in fake followers scam

(With agency inputs)