Two Indians held for stealing money from ATMs

Published On: January 22, 2017 09:35 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

The CIB has arrested Niranjan Meheta, 33, and Ittedar Khan, 23, of India from a hotel in Thamel on Sunday. The two have stolen Rs 600,000.

KATHMANDU, Jan 23: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police on Sunday arrested two Indian nationals on the charge of stealing money from ATM machines in various places of the Kathmandu Valley.

The CIB has arrested Niranjan Meheta, 33, and Ittedar Khan, 23, of India from a hotel in Thamel on Sunday. According to CIB, the two have stolen over Rs 600,000 from around 20 ATM machines in various places of the country.

In a press statement, the CIB has stated that it found ATM cards of various banks, cash and tickets of various casinos from them and has filed a case against them.

The CIB has said that as many as nine individuals had filed complaints at CIB stating that their money was stolen by unidentified individuals from various ATM machines in Kamaladi, Machhapokhari, Bhotahiti, Maharajgunj and Anamnagar in Kathmandu. Based on the complaints, the CIB had increased its vigilance at various ATM booths and arrested the two Indians as their faces matched the faces captured by CCTV cameras.

According to the CIB, the arrested two Indians would visit ATM booth in the morning every day. While Ittedar would keep vigil outside the ATM booth, Niranjan would hold an ATM card on his hand and would tell the ATM booth visitors in Hindi that he was unable to withdraw cash and seek their help. Niranjan would ask a visitor to use his/her ATM card and show him how to use the ATM machine. Then, the visitor would withdraw certain amount of money in front of Niranjan and would leave the booth. Sometimes, when the internet is slow, the ATM machine takes some time to ask “Do you need more time?” or "Do you want to continue?" Some ATM visitors in a hurry do not wait after withdrawing the money. Niranjan would take advantage of this situation and would press "OK" option and withdraw money from such persons' accounts.

According to CIB, the arrested Indians have confessed to having spent the money stolen from ATMs at various casinos and hotels, and also purchased various goods with the money. They also said that they withdrew over Rs 600,000 from various bank accounts in the last one month.

The CIB has also seized 34 ATM receipts from the two.