A 26-year-old Nigerian national has been arrested in India for allegedly duping a woman of N31m after promising to marry her.

Bernard Chukwunonsu, a resident of Uttamnagar in New Delhi, was arrested by Surat police on Sunday, January 1, 2023.

“The accused befriended the woman through social media and promised to marry her. The accused and his friend later called her posing as Immigration department officers. They told her that her boyfriend has been caught and a parcel has been seized from him.” Surat police commissioner Ajay Kumar Tomar said.

“The caller demanded money to release her boyfriend and the parcel. The woman then deposited Rs. 57.39 lakh in the bank account of the accused between December 1 and December 12. After few days, the accused stopped picking up her calls,” Tomar added.

Police registered an offence under IPC sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation) , 420 (cheating), 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), and relevant sections of the IT Act.

The police commissioner said that in 2022, 376 cybercrime cases were registered with Surat police, out of which 218 cases are solved and the police are working on the other cases.

“In 2022, a total of 376 offences were registered with Surat cybercrime cell, out of which 218 cases were solved, with 60 per cent detection rate. Similarly in 2021, 272 cybercrime cases were registered and detection rate was 46 per cent, while in 2020, 192 cybercrime cases were registered and detection rate was 36 per cent,” Tomar said.

He also appealed to the people to contact cyber crime cell if they are cheated or threatened in similar manner and be wary of unknown persons on social media.