Navi Mumbai: In a remarkable display of vigilance, a bank manager successfully thwarted a potential ATM scam at the State Bank of India (SBI) ATM in sector 14, Vashi. The incident, which took place on March 3, resulted in the arrest of two individuals, Ansar Nayab Ali (24) and Mohammad Shoaib Jaleel Ahmed (22), both residents of Govandi. An FIR was registered against them under IPC sections 379 (theft) and 34 (common intention).
The bank manager, Arun Chandraprakash Mina (36), noticed Ali and Ahmed behaving suspiciously while tampering with the ATM machine. Recognizing the potential danger, he promptly alerted the Vashi police. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the slot from which cash is dispensed had been blocked with a plastic plate. This deceptive technique allowed the scammers to deceive customers into believing that their transactions were successful, while actually preventing any cash from being withdrawn.
Undercover police officers closely monitored the ATM, leading to the arrest of the culprits when they attempted to collect money withdrawn by another customer, Bhavesh Kumar Vita. Despite receiving a message indicating that ₹20,000 had been withdrawn, Vita was unable to access the cash. While Vita anxiously waited outside, one of the perpetrators removed the blockage and absconded with the funds deducted from Vita’s account. The duo was apprehended on the spot.
During the investigation, the police uncovered 22 ATM cards registered under various individuals’ names, along with the plastic plates used to obstruct the ATM shutters. Authorities suspect that Ali and Ahmed may be part of a larger network involved in this fraudulent scheme.
“Their modus operandi involves exploiting concerned customers, particularly targeting senior citizens, by jamming the shutters. While one distracts the victim, the other accesses the trapped cash and scans the customers’ ATM cards for further illicit transactions. We will reach out to the cardholders identified amongst the culprits’ possessions to ascertain the extent of their involvement in the crime or their association with a wider criminal group,” explained the inspector.
