Kasargod: ATM Fraud - Conman Arrested for Looting over Rs 1 Crore
Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (VM)
Kasargod, Sep 19: A thief was arrested on Tuesday September 18 for looting Rs 1.10 crore by using pin numbers of several ATM cards.
The arrested has been identified as Sandeep Chopra (26) hailing from Delhi. Kasargod police traced and arrested him in Uttar Pradesh.
It is learnt that Sandeep had amassed close to Rs 1.10 crore using pin codes of ATM cards of various banks.
The investigation was conducted with the help of the cyber cell, based on a complaint filed by Umashankar, one of Sandeep's victims.
On July 20 this year Sandeep Chopra came into contact with Umashankar at Kasargod railway station.
Sandeep Chopra reportedly told Umashankar that his ATM card, laptop and other valuables had been robbed while travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Mangalore by Rajadhani Express, and that he had come there to lodge a complaint with the railway police.
In addition, Sandeep Chopra requested Umashankar to give him Rs 9,500 so that he could return home. He said that he worked as a cashier for Baroda Bank, and that he would speak to the manager of the Bank to deposit the amount to Umashankar's account at the earliest. Saying this, he even dialled the number of the so-called 'manager', who spoke to Umashankar and assured that he would deposit the money.
Thus convinced, Umashankar went to the ATM to withdraw money for Sandeep Chopra. However, due to some technical problem, the transaction failed. However, Chopra who was with him noted Umashankar's pincode without his knowledge and left the spot immediately.
Later, it was learnt that a sum of Rs 27,000 was debited from his account in two days. Accordingly, Umashankar lodged a complaint with the railway police station.
P Narayanan, SI of Kumble police staion, Antony, ASI of Kasargod station with the help of cyber cell authorities started investigating the case. With the help of UP police, the team successfully apprehended Sandeep Chopra from his apartment in UP.
Sources said that he was involved in similar incidents earlier and had altogether stolen over a crore.
Further investigations are on.