UK national convicted in cheating case in US held in Mumbai

A British national, convicted by a US court in 2009 in a case of cheating to the tune of 7.5 lakh US dollars and absconding since then, was arrested from his hideout in the city after he arrived here for the marketing of a popular music album overseas, police said today.
Acting on a tip off, accused Christopher Godfrey was apprehended from an apartment at Oberoi Springs residential society in suburban Andheri on Sunday evening where he had been staying since March 20, they said.
Godfrey was yesterday produced before a local court which remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days.

The accused would now be taken to a Delhi's extradition court, which would decide further course of action, they said.
According to police, the case against Godfrey dates back to 2001-02 when he was booked for procuring US dollars 7,50,000 loan from a financial institution through fraudulent means.
"In 2009, Godfrey was convicted by a court in the district of Illinois of the US. Since then he had been absconding," said Shalini Sharma, inspector of the Mumbai Police crime branch.

While on the run, Godfrey changed places in the US and Belgium to hoodwink police.
A Red Corner Notice was issued sometime back this year by the US security authorities, police said.

"We had an information that Godfrey, who has been working for a popular Indian-origin-UK national Punjabi singer, came to Mumbai. Accordingly, a trap was laid and the accused was held," Sharma added.