In a swift breakthrough, police have arrested Suman Sahu (25) in connection with a major ATM theft at the SBI Sambalpur Bazar Branch, recovering over Rs19.64 lakh in stolen cash.
The theft occurred in the early hours of March 11, 2025, at around 5:13 AM. Sahu, who worked for a cash remittance service agency, allegedly used his insider knowledge and access to force open the ATM chest door and steal the money.
The incident was detected when Manoj Kumar Mahanada, the branch manager of SBI Sambalpur, received an alert from the E-Surveillance team in Hyderabad at 7:05 AM. The system flagged unauthorized access to the ATM chest, prompting an immediate investigation.
Upon receiving the formal complaint, police launched a probe and soon identified Sahu as the prime suspect. He was arrested and found in possession of:
Rs19,64,300/- in cash
A black Realme mobile phone
A Samsung mobile phone
A screwdriver used in the theft
Police stated that Sahu misused his position and tools provided for official duties to commit the robbery. Further investigation is underway to determine if others were involved or if similar crimes had been committed earlier.
