KOLLAM: The Kollam cyber police on Friday arrested a Mizoram native in Delhi for allegedly swindling Rs 60 lakh from a Kollam-based retired government official after befriending her through social media. Lalram Chauna, 26, a resident of Aizawl, Uttamnagar, was arrested. He made friends with the retired official using a fake Facebook account six months ago and swindled money from her.

The accused made her believe that he is a rich man living abroad. He also told her that he will be sending gifts worth crores.

A few days later, Chauna contacted the complainant on the phone, posing as a customs officer. He said that a gift worth crores of rupees has arrived and that she has to pay customs duty to pick it up. The elderly woman who believed this sent more than half a crore rupees to various accounts several times. A few months later, she complained to the cyber police that she had not received the gift. The accused was nabbed through an investigation focused on the fake Facebook account and the number used to call her. He was produced in the Dwarka court in Delhi and remanded after questioning him in Kollam.