Overview

• On July 10, the High Court refused bail to Paul Onyeji Atuh by stressing the organized international nature of the fraud syndicate.
• The court underlined the ring’s use of fake profiles, digital morphing tools such as the DingTone App and scripted chats to lure victims on matrimonial websites.
• Investigators found that Atuh and co-accused operated through 26 bank accounts, 15 phones, 20 SIM cards, two laptops and four dongle devices, seizing ₹1.95 lakh in cash and freezing about ₹4 lakh.
• Police identified 17 victims who collectively lost ₹33.73 lakh after transferring money to accounts controlled by the syndicate.
• A co-accused granted bail in 2022 was declared a proclaimed offender in January, underscoring Atuh’s risk of absconding and justifying continued custody.