Indian member of Nigerian cybercrime gang held by UP police

Accused Rukhsad Hussain, 26, was held by sleuths of Cyber Cell, Special Operations Group and the local Faridapur police station in Bareilly and ₹27 lakh cash was recovered from his possession

The Uttar Pradesh police has arrested a Bareilly resident who was allegedly part of a Nigerian gang that duped a Kanpur-based firm of ₹2.5 crore through email spoofing, officials said on Tuesday.

SSP Sajwan said the Bareilly police had earlier got ₹30 lakh of the duped money frozen in a bank account and arrested some other members of the gang. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Accused Rukhsad Hussain, 26, was held by sleuths of Cyber Cell, Special Operations Group and the local Faridapur police station in Bareilly and ₹27 lakh cash was recovered from his possession, the officials said. Bareilly Senior Superintendent of Police Rohit Singh Sajwan said the cyber gang's Nigerian leader was arrested on August 25 in the district after he was found living in India without any passport or visa.

“It also transpired that a Nigerian gang was active that duped people by email spoofing (creation of email messages with a forged sender address). This gang had recently duped a Kanpur-based firm of ₹2.5 crore and transferred the money into various bank accounts opened on forged documents,” Sajwan told reporters.

“The gang also had some Indian members whose job was to create the bank accounts on forged documents in which the money would be transferred. These members would then withdraw the money and get a share for their work,” the officer said.

Hussain, who is primarily a Zari worker, had got ₹35.85 lakh for his role in helping withdraw the money earned through the fraud, he said. Of the total amount, ₹27 lakh has been seized while Hussain said he has spent the remaining sum, he added.

SSP Sajwan said the Bareilly police had earlier got ₹30 lakh of the duped money frozen in a bank account and arrested some other members of the gang. An FIR has been lodged at the Faridpur police station in Bareilly and further legal proceedings are underway, the officer added.