NIGERIAN CONS HYDERABAD MAN, AMONG FIVE ARRESTED

Five online fraudsters, including three Nigerians, were arrested on Friday for cheating people on the pretext of sending them gold and diamonds. One of the victims had committed suicide in Hyderabad after realising that he had been cheated of lakhs.

After cl aiming t hat t he ornaments were seized by the customs, they would ask the complainant to transfer money to a bank account number and cheat them.

During investigation, the Kalyan crime branch found that T Pravin Kumar, 35, a resident of Hyderabad, befriended Teri Onam Joseph, a Nigerian, through a social networking site 10 months ago.

“Joseph told Kumar about his interest to expand in India. He told Kumar he was sending gold biscuits and diamonds. Later, Joseph asked Kumar to send cash to different accounts as the ornaments and diamond had been seized by the customs,” said Parag Manare, deputy commissioner of police, Thane crime branch.

Kumar deposited Rs11 lakh in different accounts. When he realised that he was being cheated, he committed suicide in his house.

Kumar’s friend NR Sadashiv, 35, was also cheated by Joseph of Rs3.75 lakh. But Sadashiv got a whiff of fraud and complained to the Hyderabad cyber cell. A case was registered at a local police station. The Hyderabad police found that Sadashiv had sent Rs50,000 to the account of a Dombivli resident named Laxman Mali. The case was handed over to the Kalyan crime branch.

Mali told the officer about Rajesh Gupta. “Mali said he approached Gupta after reading a print ad for an easy loan. Gupta told him that Mali was not eligible for any loan,” said Shailendra Nagarkar, senior police inspector, Kalyan crime branch.

Gupta had told him to share his account details so that he can transfer cash. Three Nigerians arrested at Mira Road railway station on Friday after the police laid a trap.

Joseph was among the three Nigerians arrested.