Nigerian national, proclaimed offender in Chandigarh NDPS case, held by Delhi Police
Synopsis
A Nigerian national living illegally in Delhi under a forged identity — presenting himself as 'Daniel Marton' with photocopied travel documents — has been unmasked as a proclaimed offender in a Chandigarh cocaine case dating to 2019. The arrest under Operation VISTA 1.0 underscores how cross-city police coordination is closing gaps that fugitives exploit through identity fraud.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police arrested a Nigerian national from Uttam Nagar on 1 August 2025 under Operation VISTA 1.0 .
The accused was using a false identity — Daniel Marton — backed by forged photocopies of passport and visa documents.
His actual identity was confirmed as Michael Wilfred M.
Bonu , declared a proclaimed offender on 23 August 2021 in FIR No.
87/2019 at Police Station Sector-31, Chandigarh .
The case relates to cocaine supply under Sections 8/21 of the NDPS Act ; the trial in Chandigarh remains pending.
Chandigarh Police took formal custody in Delhi and will produce the accused before the concerned court.
No contraband was recovered at the time of arrest; the operation was intelligence-driven.
Delhi Police's Anti-Narcotics Cell arrested a Nigerian national from the Uttam Nagar area of New Delhi on 1 August 2025, after establishing that he had been declared a proclaimed offender in a narcotics case registered in Chandigarh. The accused had been living illegally in India under a false identity, according to police, and was apprehended as part of Operation VISTA 1.0 — a special drive launched by the Delhi Police Commissioner to identify and verify overstaying foreign nationals.
How the Arrest Unfolded
A team led by Inspector Kamlesh Kumar — comprising Sub Inspector Prem Narayan, SI Naveen, Head Constable Dheeraj, Constable Rahul, and Constable Mukesh — was constituted on 1 August to carry out targeted verification of foreign nationals in the district. Acting on technical surveillance and human intelligence inputs, the team zeroed in on a foreign national in Uttam Nagar.
During verification, the individual produced coloured photocopies — not originals — of Passport No. A00331436 and Visa No. VK5906183, identifying himself as Daniel Marton, son of Marton, a 45-year-old resident of Lagos, Nigeria, with a visa reportedly valid until 3 June 2027. Police noted the use of forged photocopies as a red flag.
True Identity Established
During questioning, the accused disclosed that he had previously been arrested in an NDPS Act case in Chandigarh and that the trial remained pending. Delhi Police immediately shared this information with the Chandigarh Police Proclaimed Offenders Cell.
Cross-verification of dossier records confirmed that the man's actual identity was Michael Wilfred M. Bonu, son of M. Bonu. He had been declared a proclaimed offender by a competent court through an order dated 23 August 2021, in connection with FIR No. 87/2019 under Sections 8/21 of the NDPS Act, registered at Police Station Sector-31, Chandigarh. The earlier case related to cocaine supply. His identity was confirmed through dossier photographs provided by Chandigarh Police.
Custody Transfer and Legal Proceedings
Following confirmation of identity, a team from the Proclaimed Offenders Cell, Chandigarh Police travelled to Delhi and formally took custody of the accused. He was handed over to SI Dalbir of Chandigarh Police for production before the concerned court and further legal proceedings. Police confirmed that no recovery was made from the accused at the time of arrest.
Operation VISTA 1.0: The Broader Context
The arrest was made under the directions of Dwarka District DCP Kushal Pal Singh and the supervision of ACP Operations Subhash Malik. Operation VISTA 1.0 is a Delhi Police Commissioner-led initiative focused on tracing overstaying foreign nationals and verifying the status of foreigners with criminal antecedents. Officials highlighted that close coordination between Delhi and Chandigarh Police was central to establishing the accused's true identity — a model they say is being replicated across districts. This is not the first such cross-city coordination under the operation, which has seen multiple arrests since its launch.
Point of View
Shielded by nothing more sophisticated than photocopied travel documents. That this worked for years — the court order dates to 2021 — raises uncomfortable questions about routine verification of foreigners with pending criminal proceedings. The cross-city coordination that finally broke the case should be the baseline, not the exception. India's fragmented criminal record-sharing architecture remains the real vulnerability here, and one arrest does not fix it.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested under Operation VISTA 1.0 in Delhi?
A Nigerian national identified as Michael Wilfred M. Bonu was arrested from the Uttam Nagar area of New Delhi. He had been living illegally in India under the false identity of 'Daniel Marton', using forged photocopies of passport and visa documents.
What is the Chandigarh NDPS case against the accused?
The accused was named in FIR No. 87/2019 under Sections 8/21 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Sector-31, Chandigarh, related to cocaine supply. A competent court declared him a proclaimed offender on 23 August 2021 , and the trial remains pending.
What is Operation VISTA 1.0?
Operation VISTA 1.0 is a special drive launched by the Delhi Police Commissioner to identify, verify, and take action against overstaying foreign nationals, with a focus on those with criminal antecedents. The Anti-Narcotics Cell of Dwarka District was specifically tasked with tracing foreign nationals involved in criminal cases.
How did police establish the accused's true identity?
After the accused disclosed a prior NDPS arrest in Chandigarh during questioning, Delhi Police shared the information with the Chandigarh Police Proclaimed Offenders Cell. Cross-verification of dossier records and photographs provided by Chandigarh Police confirmed his actual identity as Michael Wilfred M. Bonu.
What happens next in the case?
The accused was handed over to SI Dalbir of Chandigarh Police and will be produced before the concerned court in Chandigarh for further legal proceedings in the pending NDPS trial.
