Seven persons, including two Nigerian nationals, have been arrested for allegedly duping people across the country of crores of rupees on the pretext of providing easy loans, police said today.
Surender Kumar, DCP (Southwest), confirmed the arrest of "7 cheats including 2 African nationals", through a tweet.
Kumar said the accused used to open bank accounts using fake identity cards and "cheat" people through advertisements.
Police said the "2 African nationals"-- Innocent Nkwachukwu and John Ekene-- are from Nigeria and allegedly the kingpin of the gang.
A senior police officer said the accused used to cheat people on the pretext on providing loan up to Rs 30 lakh.
Explaining the modus operandi, the officer said the accused used to place advertisements in local newspapers for easy loans for business, property, on two per cent annual interest, and 50 per cent subsidy.
They would then open bank accounts using fake IDs and ask people to deposit money which would be transferred into another account and withdrawn through ATMs, he said.
Jahid Khan, a Bhopal-resident, approached the police with a complaint alleging he had been duped of Rs 73,200 by the accused.
"He said that after reading advertisement for easy loans, he contacted the mobile numbers given in the advertisement. He was asked to fax copies of his ID proofs and his passbook," said the officer.
He was then asked to deposit money in an SBI account as charge to complete the formalities. After depositing Rs 73,200 he expressed his inability to give more money, the officer said.
When Khan tried to contact the person he had spoken to for the loan, he found him incommunicado, the officer said.
Khan came to Delhi and enquired about the account-holder from the Dwarka branch of the bank and found out the address but when he reached there it turned out to be a fake one, he added.
He then approached the police and a team was formed to probe the case and identify the accused.
The mobile numbers and details of accounts were analysed following which the identity of one of the persons, who had opened the fake account in another name, was established, the officer said.
On the basis of a tip-off, Gurvinder, who had opened the fake account, was arrested from Tilak Nagar. The mastermind of the racket, Ishant Mahey, was arrested from Rohini, he said.
Later, their accomplices Kartavya Sharma, Sunil Aggarwal and Harjeet Singh were also arrested.
They led them to the kingpins of the gang- Innocent Nkwachukwu and John Ekene- who were arrested from Pankha Road, said the officer.
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