Posted by By: Shailesh Bhatia on
Sandy Nohara (38) became the fourth African national to be arrested by the police, in less than 10 days.
Sandy Nohara (38) became the fourth African national to be arrested by the police, in less than 10 days.
The Nigerian has been accused of conning a first year medical student from Junagadh, Gujarat, to the tune of Rs 40,000.
The case was detected when the student, Bhavesh Batti (23), approached the D N Nagar police after reading about a similar cyber crime, which was reported in Mid Day on June 10.
Modus operandi
In May, Bhavesh received an e-mail from Nohara, who introduced himself as a terminally-ill cancer patient, who had come to Mumbai for his treatment.
He claimed to have $11 million in cash stacked in a container, which was detained by the customs at the international airport.
Rs 40,000 paid
Nohara requested Bhavesh to pay him an initial sum of Rs 40,000 required to clear his cash consignment, which was donated by a trust and promised him a 30 per cent share. Bhavesh paid him the money in the first week of June, but Nohara demanded an additional Rs 20,000.
On June 17, Bhavesh made a second trip to Mumbai with the cash, which he apparently collected by taking personal loans and mortgaging personal items, but was alerted after he read about a similar fraud reported in Mid Day. He then approached the D N Nagar police.
Bite the bait
Investigating officer PI Pradeep Suryavanshi and PSI Anil Mali laid a trap outside Andheri West railway station and nabbed Nohara.
'We have recovered two mobile phones and some ornaments from the accused, who has confessed to the crime," said Suryavanshi.