All Four Accused Found to Be Residents of Hazaribagh, Jharkhand
Trinetra (CCTV) Played a Crucial Role – CSP Nayak
Rajnandgaon (BTI): The Rajnandgaon police successfully solved an ATM fraud case that occurred two days ago at Mahamaya Chowk ATM. During a press conference at Basantpur police station, CSP Pushpendra Nayak stated that the accused, through a well-planned scheme, fraudulently withdrew ₹39,500 from the victim’s ATM card.
All arrested individuals belong to an interstate gang and are residents of Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. The Trinetra mission’s CCTV surveillance once again proved invaluable in identifying and capturing the suspects. The police seized ₹49,000 in cash, six ATM cards, Fevikwik adhesive, a Hyundai car used in the crime, and six mobile phones.
Modus Operandi of the Fraud
The gang members strategically conduct reconnaissance outside ATMs and target elderly or disabled individuals. Once a victim arrives, one member discreetly applies Fevikwik adhesive to the ATM card slot, causing the card to get stuck. Another member stands behind the victim and observes their PIN.
When the victim struggles with the stuck card, a third member approaches, pretending to assist. They provide a fake toll-free number, which actually belongs to their fourth accomplice. The accomplice, posing as an ATM official, tells the victim to visit the bank branch in two hours.
As soon as the victim leaves, the fraudsters carefully retrieve the stuck ATM card and quickly withdraw the remaining balance from the account before escaping.
How the Arrest Happened
After receiving the complaint from Shiv Dayal Ranghati, a resident of Srishti Colony, Rajnandgaon, the police began their investigation. CCTV footage from Mahamaya Chowk ATM showed four suspicious individuals moving around the victim. The police tracked their movements through citywide CCTV surveillance and discovered that they were traveling in a Maharashtra-registered Hyundai car towards Durg-Raipur.
Coordinating with Durg, Raipur, and Bilaspur police, Rajnandgaon police pursued the suspects. They were eventually intercepted and arrested in Bilaspur with the help of local police. During interrogation, the prime accused, Shiv Shankar Prasad, confessed to the fraud and admitted to committing a similar crime at an ATM near Durg railway station. They had also attempted ATM frauds in Raipur but were unsuccessful. The gang was heading towards their hometown in Hazaribagh (Jharkhand) when police apprehended them.
A case was registered under sections 318 and 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Basantpur police station, and all four accused were presented before the Hon’ble Court, which sent them to Rajnandgaon District Jail.
Arrested Accused are respectively Shivshankar Prasad(26) Hazaribagh, Jharkhand,Vikas Kumar (28) – Hazaribagh, Sachin Sharma (21) Hazaribagh, Jharkhand,Upendra Singh (47) – Mathpar, Ballia, Uttar Pradesh (Currently living in Surat, Gujarat)
Previous Criminal Record of the Gang Leader
CSP Nayak revealed that Shiv Shankar Prasad was previously involved in multiple fraud cases:
Police Team Appreciation
CSP Nayak commended the Basantpur police team, led by Inspector Emin Sahu, for their swift action. Other officers who played a key role include Sub-Inspector Pramod Srivastava, ASI Manmohan Sahu, and Constables Vinod Javat, Deepak Jaiswal, Menka Sahu, Kush Baghel, Praveen Meshram, Ashish Manikpuri, and Rajeshwar Bandeshwar.
