Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 09 October 2024
The Cyber Crime Police Station of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has successfully apprehended two individuals responsible for unauthorized ATM withdrawals amounting to ₹38,000 from a resident’s bank account. The suspects, Dipesh Chowkidhar and Chanchal Mistry, both from Temple Myo, were identified and apprehended following a swift investigation.
The case was initiated when Mr. Timothy Lucas, a resident of Garacharma, reported the loss of his ATM card and the subsequent withdrawals from his account. On 25th September 2024, he lodged a complaint at the Cyber Crime Police Station, which registered an FIR (No. 129/2024) under relevant sections of the law.
A specialised Cyber Crime team, led by Inspector Sahil Shamsuddin and supported by Sub-Inspector Devaraju, ASI V. Raja, and a group of officers including HC Bhupender Singh, PC S.N. Rao, PC Atish, PC Wilson Toppo, and PC Dipty Lata Kujur, promptly began the investigation. In coordination with local banks, the team tracked the ATMs where the unauthorized transactions had occurred.
Through the use of CCTV footage and technical surveillance, the suspects were quickly identified. Upon apprehending, Chowkidhar and Mistry confessed to withdrawing the money through four separate transactions. They took advantage of the rule that OTPs are not required for withdrawals below ₹10,000. The victim’s ATM card was recovered from the accused during the investigation.
The case was overseen by DySP Lakshay Pandey, under the overall supervision of Mr. Rajeev Ranjan, IPS, Superintendent of Police, CID.
The Cyber Crime Police Station has encouraged public to report any suspicious activity immediately. For assistance with cyber-related matters, they can contact helplines 1930/112/100 or reach the station at 230668 and 9474260666.