The Mumbai crime branch’s property cell arrested three accused including a Nigerian national on Thursday for allegedly duping a south Mumbai-based businessman to the tune of Rs15.81 lakh [about N8,111,773.85].

The arrested accused have been identified as Santosh Jha, 35, a resident of Kandivli; Moses Tula, 45, a resident of Malad, and Kadiri Ali, 51, a Nigerian national who resides in Vasai.

The victim, who is into pharmaceutical business and has his office at Dawa Bajar in south Mumbai, registered a case in LT Marg police station on May 12 stating that he had purchased medicine from another businessman on credit and had pending dues of Rs15.81 lakh. But due to the lockdown, he could not make the payment.

He further stated that he received a mail asking him to clear the dues and the email id was similar to the one used by the other businessman, where the fraudsters had changed an alphabet which went unnoticed by him, asking him to transfer the pending dues into the bank account mentioned in the email, said police inspector Kedari Pawar of the property cell.

“The victim did not verify and transferred all dues. The amount was transferred in the Jha’s bank account and as soon as the amount came in the bank Jha withdrew 11 lakh within an hour before the victim realised,” said Pawar.

An hour later the victim called the businessman who used to supply him medicine, to verify whether he has received the money or not and learnt that he was duped by the accused.

The victim immediately alerted the concerned bank and asked them to stop the transactions, added Pawar.

The crime branch started conducting the parallel inquiry and arrested Ojha and later other suspects.

They were produced in the court and remanded in the police custody till June 3.