Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Intercepted by the police at the Hyderabad airport, a Nigerian national, wanted in a visa fraud case registered in Bhopal, has been sent to judicial custody.
Collins, the accused, was allegedly attempting to flee the country when he was apprehended based on a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the Bhopal police.
He was handed over to the Bhopal police and presented in court, where he was remanded to two days in police custody before being sent to judicial custody on Saturday.
The case dates back to July 28, 2020, when Koh-e-Fiza police in Bhopal registered a complaint involving fraudulent visa extensions. Fifteen Nigerian nationals arrived in India in 2018 on education visas and enrolled at the RKDF College in Bhopal.
Once their visas expired, they applied for visa renewal, but on verification, the central agencies found their documents to be forged.
In the FIR, they were accused of forgery, use of forged documents, and violations under the Foreigners Act. Before police action, two of the accused managed to return to Nigeria via Amritsar airport.
Two others were arrested in 2021. With Collins’ arrest, now ten are on the run. Accused individuals include Peter Jobata, Harrison Etete, Stan Othemus, and Abel Jerry Oje.
Koh-e-Fiza police station in-charge K.G. Shukla said Collins’ mobile call records are now being analysed to trace the whereabouts of the remaining accused, as he is suspected to have been in touch with them.
