TV actor, accomplice dupe people withdrawing cash at ATM, arrested

The Azad Maidan Police have arrested a small-time television actor and his accomplice for allegedly stealing debit card passwords of people while they withdraw money from ATM machines, and then using them for withdrawing money themselves. The accused were also wanted in similar cheating cases by Shivaji Park and DB Marg Police stations.

The accused have been identified as Shailendra Mishra (28), an actor, and Shivkumar Mishra (26). Both are residents of Mira Road.

According to complainant Sandip Dudhade (31), while he was withdrawing money from an ATM at LT Marg on June 10, a woman and a man were withdrawing money from other two machines nearby. One of the accused was standing behind him. As Dudhade withdrew money and left the place, he got an SMS alert in a few minutes about another transaction of Rs10,000.  “I had withdrawn only Rs 3,000,” Dhudhade told police and lodged a complaint.

The police said that following the complaint they checked a CCTV footage of the ATM and zeroed in on two suspected men. These two men were then traced with technical help and were arrested on Wednesday.

During investigation, it was revealed that the accused had withdrawn money from the right hand side ATM machine and we suspect that he must have tampered the machines for withdrawing the amount,” said a police officer from Azad Maidan Police Station, adding that in a similar manner the accused have duped several other people and cases have been registered at two to three police stations. “We are grilling them to figure out how many other people have duped by them and if they have any other accomplices,” the officer said.