Lucknow: A court in Rae Bareli has sentenced three Nigerians to four years and three months of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 7,000 each in a nearly five-year-old case registered under the Gangsters Act. The three were accused of running a fraud racket in which they created fake social media identities, established contact with men and women, lured them into romantic relationships and cheated them on the pretext of sending expensive gifts.The convicts were identified as Oroma Etishianam, Justin and Nanalu Hyacinth. They were arrested on Dec 22, 2021, by a joint team of Mill Area police and the Uttar Pradesh STF from Delhi. During the operation, police seized five laptops, 10 mobile phones, three internet modems, a router, two passports, two SIM cards and gold ornaments.During interrogation, police learnt that the accused had come to India around two years before their arrest. They had allegedly set up an office at the residence of a person named Jitendra in Delhi’s Paschim Vihar and were operating the fraud network from there.According to the investigation, the accused created fake profiles on social networking platforms and used photographs to establish contact with prospective victims. They initially engaged them in conversations and gradually gained their confidence.After developing relationships with the victims, they allegedly claimed that expensive gifts were being sent to them. The accused then demanded money in the name of customs duty, clearance charges and other fees associated with the purported gifts.Police said the racket continued for nearly two years and involved targeting multiple people through social media.The investigation into a complaint lodged by a woman from the Mill Area police station area proved crucial in tracing the three accused. The woman had reportedly been cheated of Rs 32 lakh in the course of the fraud.During the investigation, police traced transactions and activities linked to the three Nigerian nationals and subsequently arrested them in Delhi. After completing the investigation, police filed a chargesheet before the court.The accused were also booked under the Gangsters Act on the basis of evidence collected during the investigation.After examining the evidence and hearing the prosecution’s arguments, the Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ), Fifth, Gangsters Court found the three accused guilty and sentenced each of them to four years and three months of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 7,000.
