DIMAPUR, AUGUST 16 (MExN): A self-styled reverend who tried to fake his own death to escape the wrath of churches and people he duped could not hide himself for long from the long arms of the law. Based on an FIR, the women cell of Dimapur police arrested the fake preacher identified as one Shanglong alias Rev. Solomon Simte, aged 50, of Oinam village on August 13 last at Senapati town in Manipur.
According to the FIR and police, the accused had collected Rs.18, 04,500 as deposits from at least 41 churches in Nagaland after promising them ‘grants-in-aid from foreign countries.’ The money was collected between March 27, 2010 and July 17, 2010, through the “in-charge” of the “Mission of Lost Soul Ministry,” a local lady, who also filed the FIR.
According to police, ‘Rev. Solomon’ ran the ‘Lost Soul Ministry’ as “regional director.” He confessed that the ‘ministry’ was fake and without any affiliation. Interestingly, Police produced a copy of an “acknowledgment” purportedly written by the wife and relatives of the accused informing about the supposed demise of ‘Rev. Solomon’ on August 18 and subsequent burial at Guwahati.
Police said the accused confessed that he had planned to issue the acknowledgment about his supposed demise to the media to keep those he duped, from pursuing him. It emerged that the accused had a long association with forgery and fraud as even his matric and BD/B. Th and his doctoral certificates were found to be fake. Police said Shanglong had earlier worked in various institutions in Dimapur including a school besides running a hostel in Kohima. He was also arrested, earlier once, by Kohima police.
The fake godman, a father of four children, had also floated other ‘ministries’ including ‘Good Hospital Ministry’ and ‘Good Samaritan Society’. The latest attempt of the fake preacher to dupe the public was an advertisement published on August 13 in the local media titled “Naga Gospel Voice.” Based on the phone number given in the advertisement, the police arrested the accused the same day.
