Police in Meerut have uncovered a major cyber fraud
network allegedly involving Nigerian students, leading to the arrest of Saifu
Mayana Umar, an MSc Nursing student.
According to local authorities, the syndicate targeted
victims across India by promising high returns on investments in foreign
companies and the stock market.
Investigations revealed that Umar, alongside
associates including an individual identified as Yusuf and other Nigerian
nationals, operated an organised network responsible for multiple fraud cases.
The group reportedly convinced victims to transfer
funds for fake investment opportunities, after which the money was quickly
withdrawn through various bank accounts and ATMs to evade detection.
Authorities have linked transactions worth
approximately ?45 lakh in Umar’s account to at least 16 cyber fraud cases, many
of which were reported from southern states through the National Cyber Crime
Reporting Portal.
Cybercrime units from states such as Telangana and
Tamil Nadu collaborated with local police in Meerut, providing intelligence
that led to Umar’s arrest at his hostel.
During searches, investigators recovered several
items, including a laptop, five ATM cards, two bank passbooks, a SIM card, a
passport, a Union Bank cheque book, and two mobile phones. The electronic
devices have been sent for forensic analysis to uncover further evidence and
trace the wider network.
Police also disclosed that one of the suspects
attempted to destroy financial documents before the raid, though some records
were successfully recovered and are currently under review.
Authorities are now working to identify and apprehend
other members of the syndicate, with the possibility of seeking international
cooperation to track financial trails.
Umar has since been released on notice, with his
passport confiscated and movement restricted to his university hostel as
investigations continue.
Comments:
Leave a Reply