In a major breakthrough, Bokaro police arrested three interstate cybercriminals for allegedly stealing Rs3.87 lakh from a man’s bank account through an elaborate ATM fraud scheme.
The arrested individuals are:
Laxman Kumar of Purana Nagar, Koderma
Suraj Sharma of Koderma Bazaar, Koderma
Shashi Shekhar of Dhanakal Barasali Ganj, Bihar
All three have been sent to judicial custody, police confirmed on Saturday.
According to SP Harvinder Singh, the victim, Md Murtaza Ansari, went to a Bank of India ATM in Siwandih on June 22 around 6:40 PM to withdraw cash. After the first transaction, his ATM card got stuck. A mobile number written on the ATM prompted him to call for help.
Unaware it was a trap, Ansari followed the caller’s instructions — including entering his ATM PIN and visiting another ATM. Shortly after, Rs3,87,999 was fraudulently withdrawn from his account.
Police investigation revealed:
The mobile number used belonged to Laxman Kumar.
Laxman gave his passbook and ATM card to Suraj Sharma, who then handed it over to Shashi Shekhar.
The fraud was executed using two mobile phones, both of which have been seized.
SP Singh urged the public to remain cautious while using ATMs and never share card details or PINs with unknown callers, especially those claiming to offer assistance.
The case is being further investigated to identify any additional gang members or wider fraud network connections.
