Mohali police bust inter-state gang of ATM card swappers

With the arrest of three people, including a husband-wife duo, police have busted an inter-state gang that had been duping people by swapping their ATM cards with fake ones.

As many as 33 ATM cards, two cars and two LED TVs have been recovered from the accused, helping police solve 40 cases of ATM fraud.

Sharing details, Jashanpreet Singh, in-charge, Baltana police post, said Nikhil Thakur was the first to be arrested from a police naka in Baltana on Saturday.

Police recovered 23 ATM cards from the possession of Thakur, a native of Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh and currently living in Jaipuria Society on VIP Road, Zirakpur. Police also impounded his Chevrolet Cruze car.

During interrogation, Thakur confessed to swapping ATM cards at different locations in Zirakpur and Panchkula in connivance with his accomplices, Sonu Mehta and his wife, Diksha, residents of Value Homes Society, Dhakoli.

The disclosure led to the couple’s arrest, and recovery of 10 more ATM cards, a Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and two LED TVs from their possession. Police said both cars and LEDs were purchased using money stolen from their victims.

Modus operandi

Investigators said Thakur would conduct recces of ATM kiosks located in secluded areas in Zirakpur and Panchkula to find vulnerable targets, while Mehta and Diksha would stand guard for him.

On the pretext of helping people, they would swap their ATM cards and later withdraw money from their bank accounts.

Thakur is a habitual offender, who had a similar case registered against him in Kharar in 2021, following which he spent 18 months in jail and is currently out on bail. Mehta, who is facing two drug cases under the NDPS Act, is also on bail presently.

A fresh case under Sections 379 (theft), 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the trio at the Zirakpur police station. The accused were produced before a court and sent to two-day police remand.