Kingpin led lavish life with ill-gotten money

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 19

Twentynine-year-old Sumit Kumar, the kingpin of the gang involved in card cloning cases across the country, led a lavish life with the ill-gotten money he received through ATM/credit debit card frauds.

According to a senior official of the Punjab state cyber crime cell at Mohali, Sumit, a commerce graduate, used to stay in five-star hotels and spend lavishly on other comforts.

Cyber sleuths, who arrested Sumit from Lucknow, said he was using expensive phones and branded clothes.

Banaras-based Sumit belongs to a Saraswat Brahmin family and one of his family members is said to be a priest in a temple in Banaras. Besides, his family members also run a shop dealing in products used for religious ceremonies in front of the main temple of Banaras, said the police.

The police said Sumit came into the crime world around six years ago while staying in Mumbai where he used to work at a call centre. “There, he tried to pursue MBA, but dropped his studies midway. He came into contact with some miscreant at Mumbai and jumped into the crime world,” said the police.

Two cases of fraud were registered against Sumit in Mumbai in 2015.

According to Inspector Samarpal Singh, Station House Officer of the Punjab state cyber crime police station at Phase 4 here, the gang members only knew Sumit. “They were not aware of each other’s identities. Sumit was in touch with his gang members and used to provide them devices, including skimmers, to commit ATM/credit and debit card frauds. Sumit used to give the members their share of the ill-gotten money,” said Inspector Samarpal Singh.

The police have already nabbed six accused, including the kingpin Sumit, from different places. The other accused are Rahul Sharma, a resident of Mumbai, Arun from Madhya Pradesh, Mahesh from West Bengal, Karun Inder Pal from Agra and Saurabh.

The police have also recovered skimmers, computer software and other such devices and cash from the possession of the accused.

“They have defrauded a number of persons across the country of several lakhs of rupees. The number of victims is being assessed,” said the cyber crime police. A police team is away to South India to nab another member of the gang.

“With the arrest of nearly all members, the gang has been busted,” said the police.

Sumit entered crime world 6 years ago

Banaras-based Sumit belongs to a Saraswat Brahmin family and one of his family members is said to be a priest in a temple in Banaras. Besides, his family members also run a shop dealing in products used for religious ceremonies in front of the main temple of Banaras, said the police. The police said Sumit came into the crime world around six years ago while staying in Mumbai where he used to work at a call centre. Sumit was in touch with his gang members and used to provide them devices, including skimmers, to commit ATM/credit and debit card frauds.