According to the police, on November 11, 2008, Arvind Ramrao Hukkeri (59), who runs an import and export business, received an e-mail from the e-mail id: admin@oceanicbanklimited.com. The sender was identified as Dr Vaada Nas.

“According to the e-mail, an unclaimed sum of US$ 8.6 million — amounting to INR 43 crore— in Oceanic Bank in Nigeria was to be deposited in Hukkeri’s bank account. The e-mail instructed Hukkeri to pay US$ 8780 as the processing fee which would be used to send the money to his residential address by Fedex Courier Service. The e-mail also stated that the sender, Nas, was the director of operations of the bank and a diplomat who would come to the city to receive this fee,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria.

Hukkeri approached the the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell on January 15, following which the police sent e-mails to the account from which Hukkeri had received the first e-mail. The police also contacted the culprit over the telephone and laid a trap.

“We asked him to come and collect the money at a designated spot, and accordingly a trap was laid outside the Badshah Hotel at Crawford Market at 10:30 am. The accused was arrested while accepting a sum of Rs 4,500,” said Maria.