The Basistha police station officers have successfully arrested five individuals involved in an ATM fraud racket operating in the city. The suspects, identified as Asif Iqbal Hussain (20), Sahil Ahmed (21), Ariful Islam (26), Dewan Azlan Hariz (20), and Abdula Azad (20), were arrested on Monday night in the Panjabari area. Four of the suspects are from Barpeta district, while Azad hails from Baksa district.
During the operation, the police recovered several items from the suspects’ possession, including 17 ATM cards from various banks, Rs11,000 in cash, foreign currency notes (a five dirham note and three ngultrum notes from Bhutan), two mobile phones, a four-wheeler with a Kamrup (Metro) registration, and a two-wheeler with a Barpeta registration.
Basistha OC Kapil Pathak confirmed that the racket had been operating across the city for several months, particularly focusing on elderly individuals and technologically challenged women, who were targeted through various fraud schemes involving ATM card skimming and related offenses.