Two held in Nagpur for blocking ATM cash slots to pocket customers' money

Nagpur: Police in the Hudkeshwar police station area have busted a gang that cheated customers at an ATM. According to police, the accused fixed a plastic strip in the ATM's cash dispenser so that customers' money could not come out. After the customer left, the accused removed the strip and kept the cash. Police have arrested two accused, from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Police said the case relates to an ATM of Canara Bank. Several customers had complained to the bank manager that they did not receive money from the ATM. Bank staff then went through the CCTV footage. It showed two suspicious youths fixing a plastic strip in the ATM's cash dispenser and removing it later.

During the investigation, on September 27 police detained a suspect near Padole Medical on Manewada Road. He was identified as Satish Gorelal Rajput, a resident of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

In a search, police recovered from him five black plastic strips, adhesive tape, Feviquick, ATM cards of different banks and Rs 7,500 in cash.

During questioning, Satish said he had carried out the crime with his associate Dhamendra Shahu, a resident of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Police then arrested Dhamendra from the Sitabuldi area.

Police said the two accused withdrew money from the ATM several times between September 12 and 14. The investigation so far has found that 41 customers were cheated of about Rs 1.52 lakh.

Hudkeshwar police are currently questioning both accused. Police are also gathering information on other cases linked to the gang and on possible victims.