Allotted Rajat Patidar’s old number, Chhattisgarh man says he fielded calls from Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers

Khemraj told mediapersons that he was handling Manish’s phone “as he was scared”. “First I got a call from Virat Kohli sir. Then Yash Dayal sir called, who asked why I was using the phone of Rajat Patidar… I said that it is not his number,” he told reporters in Chhattisgarh. In a significant change, Patidar was handed over the captaincy of RCB from Kohli, who led the team to its first IPL title in 18 years.

“Kohli sir called two or three minutes later and asked why we were using Patidar’s number and using his WhatsApp. We said we did not. Then half an hour later, we got a call from AB de Villiers sir,” said Khemraj, adding that they “didn’t understand English”.

The raging confusion culminated after “police arrived in our village in the next 10 minutes”, claimed Khemraj. “We learnt it was a VIP number,” he said. The incident took place in the jurisdiction of Devbhog police station in Gariaband district.

Though the euphoria of speaking on the phone to global figures, something millions can only dream of, was short-lived, Khemraj was “happy” to speak to “King Kohli”, declaring that he was “big RCB fan”. “I have kept Kohli sir’s photos in my shop and at home,” Khemraj claimed.

Manish Bisi’s father Gajendra, a farmer, told reporters, “It is a matter of great happiness that my son spoke with Virat Kohli.”

Another villager Tikendra Bisi said that after the police came to their village, “I took Manish to the police station. The Inspector said this is a VIP number, and the SIM card was registered in RCB captain Rajat Patidar’s name. By mistake, it got allotted to Manish Bisi. They asked us whether we want to return the SIM and we agreed”.

Deputy SP of Gariaband district Nisha Sinha disentangled the incredulous chain of events. “Rajat Patidar was not using a SIM card for 90 days and as per the terms and conditions of the service provider, the SIM card was deactivated and later it was allotted to another person named Manish Bisi who lives in the jurisdiction of Devbhog police station.”

“After speaking with the Indore cyber cell, the SIM card, with the permission of Manish Bisi, has been handed over to Rajat Patidar. As Patidar was using this SIM card earlier, other cricketers were calling on that number. Patidar then contacted Cyber Cell in Madhya Pradesh and requested them to return his SIM and on that basis we took action. There is no legal issue or fault on anyone’s part,” Sinha said.

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