ATM cash loaders load own pockets

Aman Sood
Tribune News Service
Patiala, March 22

Five youths, employed with a private company for loading cash in ATMs, hoodwinked banks and siphoned money for well over two years before being nabbed today. They had even planned to fund at least two candidates from Patiala.

The modus operandi was simple. Aware that the CCTVs did not work on inverters, they would withdraw cash whenever there was a power outage. They executed more than 19 thefts in this fashion.

“Before demonetisation, while employed with Cash Management System, Mumbai, they would not enter the entire amount in ATMs. Instead, they would give out loans or use the cash themselves. Before the bank audit, they would siphon the amount from another ATM and deposit the same in the ATM to be audited,” explained Patiala SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu. Rajinder Singh, Balwinder Singh, Dharampal, Deepak Rai and Deepak Tiwari were arrested with Rs 5.16 lakh in cash and tools after an ATM was stolen on March 17 and an FIR lodged. 

Their interrogation revealed that they began ‘operations’ in mid-2016. 

“Before demonetisation, they pocketed Rs 20 lakh and divided the same among themselves. 

Post demonetisation in November 2016, they borrowed money from private lenders and deposited the cash in all 24 ATMs in Patiala that they handled. Within three months, they returned the cash they had borrowed. Thereafter, they did not deposit the entire cash in any ATM.

“Whenever an audit team was to arrive, they were intimated by the banks. They would quickly reload the amount in the machine to avoid being caught,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Yogesh Sharma. 

Director General of Police P Dinkar Gupta has announced Rs 50,000 for the police team that uncovered the fraud. 

HOW THEY WERE CAUGHT 

• The accused were handling cash for Axis Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, SBI, PNB
• PNB was closing eight ATMs in Patiala, team was asked to withdraw cash 
• Since ATMs carried currency less than real amount, they conspired to report fake theft 
• They targeted the SBI ATM at Samania Gate which they knew held maximum cash
• They siphoned Rs 33 lakh and reloaded PNB ATMs with amount falling short