Dwarka ATM fraud bid foiled, two held; five cases cracked

New Delhi: A late-night ATM fraud attempt in Dwarka was foiled after two men on a motorcycle were caught while trying to retrieve cash stuck inside an ATM. Police said the arrests have helped crack five other ATM fraud cases allegedly committed by the duo across Dwarka on the same day.

The accused, Mohammad Hussain, 30, and Mohammad Aabid, 36, both from Haryana’s Nuh district, were arrested during routine patrolling near Ramphal Chowk in Sector 7 on Monday night.

Police said the two had devised a method to cheat ATM users by fixing a steel plate inside the cash-dispensing slot of a Bank of India machine. This caused the cash to get stuck, leading customers to assume the ATM had malfunctioned. After customers left, the accused would remove the plate and collect the cash.

The fraud came to light when a customer tried to withdraw Rs 8,000 but did not receive the money despite the amount being debited. Soon after, he noticed two men removing a steel plate from the dispenser and raised an alarm.

DCP Dwarka Kushal Pal Singh said, “Head constable Manoj, who was patrolling nearby, rushed to the ATM kiosk after hearing the commotion. He found the suspects attempting to retrieve the cash and overpowered them before they could escape on their motorcycle.”

Additional police personnel reached the spot and took the men into custody. The cash withdrawn from the ATM was recovered from them. Police also seized the motorcycle and three steel plates allegedly used in the crime.

During interrogation, police found that Aabid has five previous cases against him, while Hussain has four. Police have initiated proceedings to seek cancellation of Aabid’s bail in an earlier case, citing his alleged involvement in similar offences.