Nigerian arrested for overstay and cheating in Bangalore

A Nigerian conman, out on bail, was arrested for staying in the city without valid travel documents. His Indian companion, a woman of Assamese origin, was also held after she was found holding a fake passport.

The Nigerian, Abiodun, 32, of Okena, was earlier arrested by the Delhi police in connection with an international credit card racket. He was later freed on bail.

The police identified his companion as Himakshi Hazarika, 27, a resident of Gurgaon in Haryana. She had used the fake passport to get a rented accommodation at HRBR Layout in Kalyana Nagar.

The duo was arrested on Sunday after the police received information that a Nigerian had been trying to cheat people.

The police said Abiodun had sent bulk emails and SMSs to the public, saying they had won a huge cash award. Those who had fallen into his trap were made to pay some money to facilitate the transfer of the ‘cash prize.’ The money was transferred to a Delhi bank account, opened by a private firm employee, Manoj Kumar.
Investigators were trying to ascertain how many had fallen prey to the Nigerian fraud. Abiodun had come to India in 2007, and issued fake credit cards along with his associate Samson. He had spent 15 months in jail, before getting bail. Once he was out of jail, he travelled to Bangalore.

He met Hazarika, then a call centre employee, in Delhi. She accompanied Abiodun to Bangalore in early April. She created a fake passport with the help of another Nigerian, Prince Mike, who has been absconding.

The police said the name in the passport was that of one Kim
Gupta, resident of Salai Pudur in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district.
The Banasawadi police charged Abiodun under the provisions of Foreigners Act and Indian Passport Act, and Hazarika was slapped with charges of cheating and forgery. The accused persons have been in judicial custody, the police said.