In a major breakthrough, the Basistha Police in Guwahati dismantled a significant ATM fraud racket, arresting five individuals allegedly involved in sophisticated financial scams. The suspects have been identified as Asif Iqbal Hussain, Sahil Ahmed, Ariful Islam, Dewan Azlan Haris, and Abdul Azad.
During the operation, authorities seized 17 ATM cards from various banks, two motorcycles, and two iPhones, which were reportedly used in fraudulent transactions. Preliminary investigations suggest that the accused were using deceptive tactics to manipulate unsuspecting customers and withdraw money from accounts using stolen or cloned ATM cards.
Police suspect that these five individuals may be part of a larger financial fraud network, and efforts are underway to trace additional members involved in the operation.
This ATM fraud bust follows a similar incident last year, where the Gorchuk Police in Guwahati, led by Inspector Mayurjit Gogoi, uncovered a group of cyber fraudsters operating out of a lodge in Boragaon. The group exploited “Mule Bank Accounts” to funnel money stolen from victims. Investigations revealed that these fraudsters targeted vulnerable individuals, convincing them to open bank accounts with promises of substantial profits. They collected the victims’ banking documents—such as passbooks, ATM cards, and cheque books—and passed them on to another cybercrime group. The fraudsters earned approximately Rs1,00,000 for each account, with the account holders receiving a 20% share of the total transaction amount.
