Sambhav Acharya, a most-wanted ATM looter, was arrested on Thursday in Bhubaneswar, along with his aide Jiten Bosak. The duo was apprehended following a complaint from Bhikari Mahakuda, who reported that his ATM card had been stolen while he was withdrawing money on November 5.
The accused had cleverly swapped the victim’s ATM card while he was at the machine. Before Mahakuda could block his card, the culprits withdrew Rs 40,000 from his account. The Khandagiri police swiftly acted on the victim’s complaint and arrested the suspects.
During the raid, police recovered the stolen amount (Rs 40,000), a motorcycle, and two mobile phones from the possession of the accused.
Acharya and Bosak are believed to have been involved in multiple ATM thefts across Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Nimapara, primarily targeting elderly victims. They would rob ATM cards and withdraw money from their accounts, causing significant financial loss.
Sambhav Acharya, a native of Krushnapur Sasan in Jajpur district, was previously arrested for similar crimes in 2020 and 2017. He was also arrested by the Sakinaka Police in Mumbai in September 2018 after his involvement in a series of ATM thefts in Mumbai’s western suburbs. Despite multiple arrests, Acharya managed to evade capture for years by frequently flying in and out of Mumbai, continuing his criminal activities.
Reports suggest that Acharya had accumulated significant wealth from his illegal activities, using the proceeds to construct properties across various locations.
The police investigation is ongoing to uncover further details of their criminal network and other possible victims.
