In a significant breakthrough, Khandagiri police arrested the notorious ATM looter Sambhav Acharya on Friday, along with his accomplice, Jiten Bose. The duo is believed to have been involved in more than 20 ATM thefts across Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Nimapara.
The arrest came after a victim, Bhikari Mahakuda, reported a theft at an ATM near Khandagiri police station. Mahakuda was withdrawing money when Sambhav and Jiten cleverly swapped his ATM card, enabling them to withdraw Rs 40,000 from his account. By the time Mahakuda realized the theft and blocked his card, the criminals had already made the withdrawal.
Following Mahakuda’s complaint, Khandagiri police launched an investigation, which led to the swift arrest of both suspects. Police recovered a bike and the stolen cash worth Rs 40,000 from their possession.
Sources suggest that Sambhav Acharya and his associates are responsible for numerous ATM thefts across various regions, including Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. It is reported that Sambhav used the proceeds from his crimes to build substantial properties in multiple locations.
The Commissionerate police are considering bringing the accused into remand for further investigation, as they continue to probe their involvement in other ATM theft cases.