East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh – An outsourcing employee, Vasamsetty Ashok Kumar, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly stealing Rs2.20 crore after being entrusted with cash for loading ATM machines. Kumar, a sorter assistant working for Hitachi Cash Management Services Pvt. Ltd. in Rajahmundry, absconded with the money on July 26 after receiving Rs3.32 crore from HDFC Bank for the purpose of loading ATM machines.
Kumar, who had been working in his role since 2018, handed over Rs1.12 crore for ATM loading as required, but kept the remaining Rs2.20 crore for himself. He then rented a Swift Dzire car from a private travel agency and attempted to flee with the stolen cash. The entire incident occurred when there were no staff members present at the bank, allowing him to carry out the theft without detection.
After Ashok Kumar absconded with the money, the East Godavari police initiated a swift investigation. SP Narasimha Kishore set up five teams to track down the suspect. The breakthrough came when the police intercepted a car in Raja Nagaram during routine vehicle checks. In the car, they found Rs1 lakh in cash.
When questioned, Kumar revealed that he had stashed the majority of the stolen money—Rs2.19 crore—in a rented apartment. He had planned to retrieve the remaining amount later. The police promptly seized the remaining cash from the apartment and arrested Kumar.
According to the police, Kumar was motivated by bad habits and toxic friendships that led him to commit the crime. Despite his long tenure in the outsourcing job, Kumar allegedly chose to steal the funds when he saw an opportunity to make a quick gain.
A case has been filed against Vasamsetty Ashok Kumar under various sections related to theft and fraud at One Town Police Station in Rajahmundry. He has been booked under sections 318(4), 316(2), and 316(5) BNS. Kumar is currently in police custody and is expected to face charges for theft, breach of trust, and fraud.
This case highlights the risks involved in entrusting large sums of money to individuals in positions of responsibility and the potential for abuse when safeguards are not in place.
