Cover image via 
In another surprising twist, the man mistaken for the former DBS CEO in a LinkedIn post has come forward to claim that the woman behind the post knew all along he wasn't the famous banker
Image via Janney Hujic (LinkedIn)
With the incident going viral, Kumar H Subramaniam, a Singaporean teacher based in Bali, Indonesia, has stepped forward to clarify that Janney Hujic, the woman who posted the viral encounter, knew he wasn't Piyush Gupta after she approached him.
Commenting on a viral Facebook post, Kumar shared his side of the story:
"During my meal, [she and a man I assumed to be her husband] came up to me and showed me a photo of Mr Gupta, and asked if I was him.
"I replied that I was not, but could understand their mistake as it had happened a few times in the past," he wrote.
Despite telling her he was not Gupta, he said Hujic still asked for a photo, claiming she wanted to prank her friends that she had bumped into him, and he obliged.
Kumar did not expect the photo to end up on LinkedIn — with Hujic claiming to have met "one of Asia's most respected CEOs" in Bali
"I never, at any point, said that I was indeed Mr Gupta.
"I never agreed for my picture to be used to promote any business or social ventures.
"I do not condone any such actions of using any resemblance, intentional or otherwise, to mislead anyone, most importantly Mr Gupta," Kumar clarified.
Kumar summed it up best: "Not every bald, Indian man wearing glasses is me or Mr Gupta."
Image via Wake Up, Singapore (Facebook)
Kumar stressed that he has no connection to Hujic's post, nor any affiliation with what she might be promoting
Speaking to Mothership, he said his main concern is to make it clear that he neither pretended to be Gupta nor played along with the story.
He also expressed hope that Hujic would come forward to clear the air, as her post has misused his likeness and public reputation.
Kumar has also told SAYS that he never led her to believe that he was Gupta.
As of writing, three days since it went live, Hujic's LinkedIn post remains published and unedited, still claiming a chance encounter with the prominent banker
A recent comment under the post claims that Hujic genuinely believed she had met Gupta and plans to share her side of the story on Sunday, 25 May, as she is currently on holiday.
Meanwhile, speculation continues online, with some LinkedIn users suggesting the mix-up may have been intentional and aimed at promoting Hujic's travel business.
SAYS has reached out to Hujic for comment but has yet to receive a reply.
Image via Janney Hujic (LinkedIn)
