Man held in Malad for tampering with ATM to pocket Rs 45,500 from customers

Bangur Nagar police have arrested a man on charges of tampering with an ATM and stealing cash. The accused has been identified as Farhan Ali Jafar Ali. According to police, he was picked up from Malad on November 1. Police said his accomplice in the alleged fraud is absconding and efforts are on to trace him.

Police said the two targeted the ATM of a well-known bank in the Padmanagar area of Malad West. On October 25, they visited the ATM centre 20 to 25 times during the day and took away Rs 45,500 belonging to seven account holders.

A police officer said: "We have learnt that the accused had devised a way to trap cash inside the ATM. When customers tried to withdraw money, the transaction would go through, but the notes would get stuck behind a plastic strip. Customers would assume the machine was out of order and leave the ATM centre without their money." Police said the accused would later return, remove the strip, take out the stuck notes and put the strip back to trap the next customer. This is the allegation.

The matter came to light when Alok Kumar Rambabu Sharma, a senior manager of the bank, received a phone call from someone saying that a blue plastic strip was stuck on the cash dispensing part of the ATM and that tampering was suspected. Soon afterwards, the manager received another complaint that a customer was unable to withdraw money. Following these complaints, Sharma went to the ATM centre, examined the machine and found that it had been tampered with.

On the bank manager's complaint, Bangur Nagar police registered a case of theft against both accused and began a search. One of the accused was subsequently arrested.

Under the guidance of DCP Purushottam Karad, North (Zone 1), and Senior Inspector Jaywant Pawar, API Sandeep Ubale took Farhan Ali into custody for questioning. Police said he confessed that he carried out the fraud with the help of an accomplice. Police have also recovered Rs 10,000 in cash, a mobile phone and the four-wheeler used in the crime.

Another police officer said: "We are now looking for his absconding accomplice and are also investigating whether the two were involved in similar ATM frauds at other places."