Three held in Palghar for cheating senior citizen at ATM kiosk

Palghar, Dec 5 (PTI) Three persons were arrested in Palghar district for allegedly duping an elderly man of Rs 50,000 on the pretext of helping him with an ATM transaction, a police official said.

The 67-year-old man was withdrawing money from an ATM on Mahim Road here on September 27 when the incident took place, he said.

"The three accused offered to help him withdraw cash, diverted his attention, swapped his ATM card and withdrew Rs 50,000. We have arrested Kismat Barkatali Shaikh (27), Hasmat Barkatali Shaikh (32), who are brothers, and Haresh Rahul Pradhan (21). We are on the lookout for a fourth accused identified as Dipak Jha of Ulhasnagar," he said.

"We have seized a car worth Rs 5 lakh and Rs 30,000 cash from them. They have been charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating, criminal breach of trust and other offences. The gang used to wait at ATM kiosks, keep an eye while the victim punches in the PIN and then swap cards after diverting attention," the official added.

The accused have cases of similar nature against their names in Palghar, Kanhan, Nagpur and Mumbra, he added. PTI COR BNM