International News
India: Nigerian, 2 Indians Arrested For Dating App Scam
Indian police reported on Thursday that four individuals, including a Nigerian national, have been apprehended for defrauding several Indian women through matrimonial apps.
The group allegedly pretended to be doctors, engineers, and IT professionals to establish connections with women on various dating platforms.
They further convinced these women to send them money under the guise of paying customs fees for gifts.
The arrested suspects were identified as Chibaka, also known as Tall Issa, from Nigeria, as well as Aman Kumar, Rahul Singh, and Santosh Kumar, all residents of Delhi.
According to the cybercrime division of the Gurugram police, the gang had allegedly accumulated a large number of illegal items, including 25 mobile phones, 65 ATM cards, 34 cheque books, and 12 passbooks.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Priyanshu Diwan reported that the suspects had formed a criminal organization to carry out their activities. These findings were reported by Hindustantimes.com.
According to him, “The Nigerian was the kingpin of the gang and met the other suspects in Laxmi Nagar area of Delhi. They used to scan profiles of the victims on matrimonial sites and later befriended them on social media such as Instagram and Facebook,” he said.
He explained that the gang members were apprehended after a 36-year-old woman filed a complaint on March 22nd, alleging that she had been defrauded of ₹16 lakh (equivalent to approximately N9m). Following the complaint, the police launched an investigation, which led to the discovery of the gang’s operation and their eventual arrest.
According to the woman’s complaint, she received a friend request on Instagram on January 26th of this year from an individual who identified themselves as a doctor residing in the United Kingdom.
“We exchanged our numbers and started chatting on WhatsApp. The suspect said he would be sending some gold items and £20,000. On January 30, I received a call from a woman who introduced herself as an employee of a courier company in Mumbai and said that gold and foreign currency had arrived in my name,” said Sampa Pal, a resident of DLF Phase-4.
The woman stated that she was asked to deposit ₹55,000 as tax, which she did, but was subsequently asked to deposit a further ₹3,27,920. On February 2nd, the suspect then requested that she deposit ₹3 lakh followed by ₹2.98 lakh.
The victim eventually deposited a total of ₹16 lakh within a week before realizing that she had been scammed. The suspect then demanded an additional ₹7.26 lakh.
The police conducted an investigation and subsequently registered a case on February 17th, charging the suspects under Section 120B (conspiracy), 419 (impersonating), and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Cyber Crime police station.
“During questioning, the suspects revealed that the Nigerian man was deported from Mumbai eight years ago, who returned to India on a Schengen visa and another passport. We are still verifying whether his passport is original or forged. He was continuously active in committing matrimonial frauds,” ACP Sangwan said.
The police disclosed that the gang had opened over 100 bank accounts that were used to transfer money. One of the suspects had been withdrawing money from various locations using ATMs and had even traveled to different cities to avoid detection by the police.
Residents of Istanbul were jolted by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday, which struck the Marmara Sea near the city’s western fringes, prompting widespread concern but causing no immediate casualties.
The quake, which occurred at 12:49 p.m. local time (0949 GMT), originated in Silivri, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
“An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude occurred in Silivri, Marmara Sea, Istanbul,” he confirmed on X, formerly Twitter. Yerlikaya also noted that tremors were felt in nearby provinces.
READ ALSO: Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Myanmar, Shakes Southeast Asia
Following the initial tremor, Turkey’s disaster management authority, AFAD, reported three more earthquakes ranging from 4.4 to 4.9 in magnitude.
The seismic activity sent people fleeing onto the streets, with many seen anxiously checking their phones or making calls.
“I just felt earthquake, I’ve got to get out,” said a decorator who dashed out of a fourth-floor apartment near Galata Tower. He declined to give his name, visibly shaken by the experience.
Despite the intensity, there were no reports of injuries or building collapses in the city of approximately 16 million people.
“Until now, we have no information about any buildings collapsing,” the governor’s office stated, urging residents to avoid entering structures that may have sustained damage.
Reassuring citizens, the Istanbul municipality also confirmed, “No serious cases have been reported so far following the earthquake in Istanbul,” in a post on X.
Tremors from the quake were reportedly felt as far as Sofia, Bulgaria, according to AFP journalists in the capital.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as aftershocks persist and damage assessments are conducted across the region.
The Vatican has disclosed that Pope Francis died of a stroke, which caused a coma and irreversible heart failure, according to his official death certificate released on Monday.
The 88-year-old pontiff passed away on Monday morning, nearly a month after being discharged from hospital following treatment for double pneumonia.
In the statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the cause of death was identified as “a stroke, followed by coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.”
READ MORE: JUST IN: Vatican Mourns As Pope Francis Passes Away At 88
The certification was issued by Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, Director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Vatican City State.
The medical report also detailed the Pope’s history of health challenges, including “acute respiratory failure caused by multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia, multiple bronchiectases, high blood pressure, and Type II diabetes.”
His death was confirmed through electrocardiographic thanatography.
“I hereby declare,” wrote Dr. Arcangeli, “that the causes of death, to the best of my knowledge and judgment, are as stated above.”
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, became the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church in 2013 and was widely recognized for his efforts to modernize Church doctrine and promote global social justice.
Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88, the Vatican announced on Monday.
His passing came just a day after he made an emotional appearance before thousands of faithful gathered at Saint Peter’s Square for Easter Sunday celebrations.
“It is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in an official statement shared via the Vatican’s Telegram channel.
READ ALSO: Pope Francis To Return To Vatican After Month-Long Treatment
“This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.”
The pontiff’s final public appearance, marked by visible frailty, came as a surprise to many, as he had only recently been discharged from the hospital following a prolonged battle with pneumonia. Francis had endured two life-threatening health scares earlier this year and spent 38 days hospitalized before being released on March 23.
Despite his condition, the pope greeted crowds on Easter Sunday with a heartfelt “Happy Easter” and delivered his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, using the occasion to call for global peace, freedom of thought, and tolerance.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to assume the papacy.
His decade-long leadership was marked by a focus on compassion, humility, social justice, and outreach to marginalized communities.
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