Patna: Patna police have busted an alleged ATM fraud racket involving three graduates accused of cheating people by swapping ATM cards and withdrawing money from their bank accounts. Shrikrishnapuri police arrested the three men and seized 82 ATM cards, three mobile phones and an XUV 500 car.
According to police, the gang allegedly withdrew more than Rs 3 crore from different bank accounts over the past few months. The arrested accused have been identified as Sudhakar alias Priyansh, Prashant Kumar and Rakesh Kumar.
Police said all three accused are graduates and had been involved in ATM fraud for a considerable period. Sudhakar alias Priyansh has been identified as the alleged gang leader. According to police records cited in the case, 17 cases have been registered against him, while Prashant Kumar and Rakesh Kumar each face two cases.
Gang Allegedly Targeted an SP’s Relative
According to police, the gang had also allegedly cheated a relative of an SP posted at a police training centre by swapping the person’s ATM card.
The incident prompted investigators to intensify their probe, eventually leading them to the accused.
Police said the gang had allegedly targeted people in Patna, Gaya, Nawada and Sitamarhi. Investigators have also received information about suspected operations in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Singhbhum in Jharkhand.
How the ATM Fraud Allegedly Worked
Investigators found that the accused primarily targeted ATM kiosks without security guards. According to police, they used adhesive material to make customers’ cards get stuck in ATM machines.
The accused would then approach customers under the pretext of helping them and observe their ATM PINs. In some cases, they allegedly gave customers misleading helpline information and persuaded them to leave the kiosk.
Once the customer left, another gang member would approach the machine and use the card to withdraw money.
Police said the accused also allegedly swapped customers’ ATM cards with other cards while pretending to assist them. After obtaining the PIN, they could use the cards to withdraw money from the victims’ accounts.
The gang’s alleged activities have been reported in several Patna police station areas, including Shrikrishnapuri, Patliputra, Kotwali and Buddha Colony. CCTV footage from ATM kiosks in Ranchi also reportedly helped investigators identify the accused.
Police Suspect Network of More Than Two Dozen Members
During the investigation, police uncovered information suggesting that more than two dozen people could be involved in the alleged racket.
According to City SP Chandraprakash, questioning the arrested accused revealed the names of several other suspected gang members. Police are conducting raids to trace and arrest them.
Investigators also received information about an organised network linked to Gaya and Nawada. Some gang members allegedly trained newcomers in ATM card-swapping techniques before sending them to different locations to target customers.
Luxury Car Allegedly Bought With Fraud Money
Police said the accused allegedly withdrew between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh daily through ATM card swapping and card-trapping methods.
Investigators suspect that the proceeds were used to purchase an expensive vehicle and deposit substantial amounts into bank accounts. Police are examining the accused’s bank accounts and financial transactions to trace the money.
The investigation is continuing to establish the total number of victims, determine the full extent of the alleged fraud and identify other members of the network.
