The Rajnandgaon police have arrested a Nigerian national, simply identified as Johnson, in India over an alleged marriage scam, Etvbharat has reported.  

The suspect, said to be around 40 years old, allegedly wooed a Chhattisgarh woman using a fake profile he uploaded on a matrimonial website and duped her of Rs 15,72,000 after promising to marry her.  

The police stated that the suspect, who had been secretly living in Delhi after the validity of his visa and passport expired, lured the victim through her profile and lied to her about being a UK-based businessman planning to move his business to India.  

According to the police, the suspect reached out to the victim through an associate, falsely claiming he was stopped at Delhi airport and needed money to exchange UK currency in his possession.  

The Additional Superintendent of Police of Rajnandgaon police station, Rahul Dev Sharma, said the suspect blackmailed and cheated the victim with the help of his accomplice.  

Mr Sharma said the victim’s attempts to call the suspect afterwards failed as his phone was switched off, prompting her to realise she had been cheated and to lodge a fraud case against him at Dongargarh Police Cyber Cell.  

“We started an investigation on the complaint of the applicant. With the help of a cyber cell, it was found that the accused lives in Delhi. Our team raided his Delhi accommodation and arrested him. Accused Johnson is a resident of Nigeria. He has cheated many girls so far. We are trying to gather further information through interrogation,” said Mr Sharma.  

A laptop and four mobile phones have been recovered from the suspect, and his bank account has also been frozen.