Four UP men arrested in Dehradun for ATM fraud & plotting robbery with illegal firearms
Monday, 09 DECEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Dehradun police arrested four notorious fraudsters from western Uttar Pradesh who were planning a major theft in the city. The Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said that acting on a tip-off, the police arrested the accused near a deserted construction site on the Sahaspur-Sabawala road. The men identified as Sumit Gautam, Vikas, Ramesh Gautam and Monu Kumar were found in possession of a country-made pistol, a live cartridge, a knife, 27 ATM cards belonging to different banks and two motorcycles. Singh said that information from confidential sources indicated that members of a gang involved in multiple fraud cases in western Uttar Pradesh had arrived in Dehradun and were hiding in the Sahaspur area, preparing for a major crime. Acting swiftly, a special operation was launched in the area, during which the suspects were apprehended while hatching their plan. Singh said that during interrogation, the accused revealed that they specialised in ATM fraud, targeting unsuspecting individuals at ATM kiosks. They would engage their victims in conversation, skillfully obtain their PINs and swap their ATM cards, later using the stolen cards to withdraw money. To intimidate their targets, they reportedly carried weapons like pistols and sharp weapons. The gang’s leader, Sanjay, a resident of Saharanpur, had trained them in these fraudulent tactics. Sanjay himself has a criminal record and has been involved in ATM frauds in Rishikesh and Vikasnagar, for which he had served time in jail, the SSP added.
He informed that the accused disclosed that they had conducted reconnaissance of bank ATMs and jewellery shops in Dehradun, planning to execute a significant theft at night. Their plan involved using the weapons they carried to break into ATMs or shops, steal cash and valuables and then flee back to their hometowns. Further investigation revealed that all four accused had prior criminal records. Sumit was arrested in 2017 in Saharanpur for illegal possession of a firearm. Ramesh, Vikas and Monu had also been arrested recently in separate ATM fraud cases in Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur districts. Their leader, Sanjay, is currently facing legal proceedings for ATM fraud cases registered in Rishikesh and Vikasnagar. The police are in the process of verifying their criminal history with the respective police stations.
