A fraudulent caller posing as Jay Shah—the son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and newly appointed ICC chief—has reportedly contacted Manipur legislators, offering them ministerial posts in exchange for INR 4 crore. Manipur Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh confirmed he was among those who received the dubious call.

The incident unfolded against the backdrop of deep unrest in Manipur following violent clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities. The conflict, which forced Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh to resign, led to the imposition of President’s rule and the suspension of the state assembly—conditions that the impersonator appears to have exploited.

“For the past 3-4 days before February 15, I received repeated WhatsApp calls from an unidentified number without a display picture. When I called back, the person claimed he was Jay Shah and demanded INR 4 crore for government formation. I have reported the matter to the police,” Speaker Satyabrata Singh said.

A similar case has emerged in Uttarakhand, where BJP MLA Adesh Chauhan allegedly received a call from someone identifying himself as Jay Shah, asking for a “donation of INR 5 lakh,” according to the Indian Express. An FIR has been registered in connection with the Uttarakhand incident. The FIR further states that the caller claimed Home Minister Amit Shah was busy with engagements in Delhi and had delegated decision-making responsibilities for the state to him and Harish Nadda, the son of BJP national president JP Nadda.

Jay Shah, 36, formerly served as the BCCI secretary before his unopposed election as ICC chair in August 2024, succeeding Greg Barclay, who opted not to seek a third term. His tenure officially began on December 1.

Authorities are actively investigating both incidents to trace the culprit behind the fraudulent calls and to determine the full extent of the deception.