BALASORE: Balasore Cyber police has arrested a Nigerian national from Kishangarh, New Delhi on the charge of duping a retired government employee of Rs 30 lakh after honey-trapping him with fake social media profiles of women.
The arrested Nigerian was identified as Samson Emike Aliga ( 39). He was living in a rented accommodation in the national Capital. A laptop, mobile phone, counterfeit SIM cards and one original and another fake passport were seized from his possession.
Balasore Cyber Police IIC Mina Bindhani on Friday said the accused had opened fake accounts in the names of foreign women on Facebook and WhatsApp. In April this year, Samson befriended the victim, a resident of Balia in Balasore town, through one such fake account. Subsequently, they started chatting on social media and the accused also shared nude pictures and videos of women.
Samson then morphed obscene photos of the elderly man and demanded money from him. He also threatened to post the photos on social media. Fearing social stigma, the victim paid the accused `30 lakh in several installments. But when the Nigerian started demanding more money, the victim lodged a complaint with Balasore Cyber police.
A case was registered under sections 419, 420, 465, 467 and 468 of the IPC along with 66 (c), (d) of the IT Act. During investigation, the police tracked the accused’s calls and froze the bank account in which the victim had transferred the money.
After tracing Samson’s location, a police team comprising the IIC, a sub-inspector and a constable went to Kishangarh and arrested him. Bindhani said the accused was produced in Balasore Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate court and remanded in judicial custody after his bail was rejected. Further investigation is underway.