Dimapur, July 29 (MExN): One of most wanted criminals in Nagaland, Abu Sayed, a conman who duped hundreds of Naga people with promises of ‘doubling money’ was arrested by Dimapur police from Lakhimpur in Assam on July 24. After evading arrest for nearly two years, Sayed was finally arrested by a team of Dimapur police led by Inspector Atu Zumvu and Sub-inspector Mhapeni, with the assistance of Assam police. The accused was brought to Dimapur on July 25 and produced before the court of the chief judicial magistrate on July 26.
According to initial investigations, Sayed started the business of ‘doubling money’ in 2007. The business of duping people started when Sayed’s wife Khusboo, came to Toluvi village in Dimapur and started befriended the citizens there. Khusboo started luring ignorant Naga ladies by telling them that her husband could ‘manufacture’ money by using certain equipments and chemicals. Finally she managed to convince two Naga ladies. The ladies went with Khusboo to Lakhimpur in Assam, and submitted Rs. 5,000 each, with assurance from the husband-wife duo that it would be doubled. Sayed apparently doubled the money and the ladies returned to Dimapur with Rs.10, 000 each. Upon their return, the two ladies spread the news around which caught the attention of some more ignorant people. Subsequently, more women went to Lakhimpur to ‘double’ their money. Slowly Sayed won the confidence of the women by doubling small amounts of money. He then convinced them to bring larger amounts and also promised the ladies ‘commission’ if they brought him customers.
The first lady to be duped by Sayed lost Rs 3, 20,000 (rupees three lakhs twenty thousand). According to the police, the victim deposited the amount with Sayed, who in return gave her a big packet packed wrapped with black cello tape. He instructed the lady to open the packet ‘only after reaching Dimapur.’ The lady upon reaching Dimapur opened the packets and to her utter dismay found only ‘burnt papers’ cut in the size of currencies. The lady accompanied by some friends went back to Lakhimpur and confronted Sayed. He assured the ladies that he would ‘recover’ the money but at the same time ‘ordered’ them to bring gifts for him.
Similarly, dozens of other people were duped by Sayed, who is now languishing in the east police lockup. According to some statements of the victims, the accused on several occasions threatened them with dire consequences. Most victims, having suffered heavy loss kept visiting Sayed with the hope that they would recover their money in small amounts. But all their efforts proved futile. Instead he started threatening them. Then on September 2, 2008, an FIR was lodged in Dimapur east police station against Sayed by one lady. Accordingly, a police team of Dimapur police went to Lakhimpur to arrest Sayed. But he managed to escape after information leaked out.
After his escape, Sayed reportedly started making threat calls to Dimapur police officers. He reportedly told one officer that he would ‘blow her head off…rip open her and stomach and place her intestine around her neck.’ He threatened other officers with dire consequences and told them that he had ‘contacts with high ups and the ultras.’
However, Sayed’s luck ran out on July 24 when the Dimapur police nabbed him after receiving a tip-off from an informer based in Lakhimpur. The police said that Sayed has confessed to being the mastermind behind cheating people from Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh as well.
So far 13 victims have come forward with claims that they have been duped by Sayed. The total amount claimed by the people is Rs.1, 10, 08,000 (rupees one crore ten lakhs and eight thousand). The police is expecting more people in Nagaland and other states to come forward to testify against Sayed. Interestingly, the accused denies having lived in Dimapur although he speaks very fluent Nagamese. Some people have, nonetheless, testified that Sayed lived in Dimapur earlier. He was arrested in a similar case in Assam’s Golaghat district four years back. Sayed is said to have amassed huge amount of wealth in Lakhimpur by duping people. He has three wives, three houses and a luxury car.
