2 Nigerian nationals arrested for duping City doctor

Two Nigerian nationals, who had duped a doctor to the tune of Rs 6 lakh, were arrested by the Malleswaram police recently.

The suspects were: David Onami, 35, and Colins Ralph, 41. David came to India for higher studies about five years ago and discontinued studies. He was overstaying in the country. Colins came to India just a month ago, said the police.

David and Colins and two of their associates, who are at large, duped Dr Kumar H C from Bengaluru using an online facility. Dr Kumar wanted to buy a car and spotted an advertisement in OLX.com uploaded by Leitner T and James More from Germany. On being contacted, he was told that their assistants would deliver the car to him if he made the payment, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order-West) Alok Kumar told a press conference.

After a few phone calls, the two told Dr Kumar that they had about five lakh US dollars which they could not use because of the dark colour of the notes. They mailed a few pictures of ‘black dollars’ and claimed that they would turn genuine if certain chemicals and powders were applied on them. They claimed that they did not have money to buy the chemicals and powders. They requested him to deposit Rs 6 lakh to a bank account in India to help them buy the chemicals and powders. They said they would share a good margin of profit as they would make good business using such dollars. Dr Kumar trusted them and deposited Rs 6 lakh to their account, Alok Kumar said.

They promised to send two of their assistants--David and Colins-- to give a demonstration of applying the chemicals on ‘black dollars.’ They asked Dr Kumar to pay another Rs 6 lakh for receiving a few dollars, chemicals and powders.

David and Colins met Dr Kumar near Leela Hospital in Malleswaram recently and made a demonstration using six dollars. They gave 1,000 counterfeit dollars, chemicals and powders to him and demanded Rs 6 lakh from him. Upon verifying, Dr Kumar realised that they were counterfeit dollars. Dr Kumar asked them to wait there till he brought the money and approached the Malleswaram police. The police rushed to the spot and arrested David and Colins, said the police.

The preliminary inquiry revealed that the bank account to which Dr Kumar had deposited Rs 6 lakh was of a bank in Hyderabad and the money was withdrawn as soon as it was deposited.