Bangalore: The concept of plastic money is proving dangerous to many ATM card users, what with the vicious attack on bank manager Jyothi UdayÂkumar on Tuesday. ShockÂÂingly, a few days prior to this incident, a 31-year-old scientist employed with National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) was also a victim of ATM fraud.
Though scientist was not attacked, but his negligence proved costly. He left the bag containing his debit card in a rental car, hired by a private travel company, when he stepped out to attend some official work at Veersandra on Hosur Road.
He didn’t find anything amiss even after his return, though he claims he found the bag open. The realisation dawned upon him only after he received three back-to-back SMS alerts about cash withdrawal from his account.
The scientist, S. Sudhakar, resides at the NAL staff quarters on Old Airport Road. He works at the Experimental AeroÂdynamics Division, Nilakantan Wind Tunnel Centre, on the Belur campus. Few days ago Sudhakar had gone to 3D Product Development Pvt. Ltd office, located at Veerasandra, for model inspection, when the incident occurred.
He had travelled from the Belur campus to Veerasandra by a private car arranged by NAL’s transport department throÂugh Marshal Tours and Travels in RajajiÂnagar. The car was said reportedly driven by one Shashi Kumar.
Before leaving for the model inspection, the scientist reportedly left his bag inside the car containing his wallet and brand new ATM card, among other things. He had also left behind a letter from his bank containing the PIN number for his new debit card, said an investigating officer.
Upon returning from the inspection, he found the bag open but did not suspect anything. He was dropped back at his NAL staff quarters and upon reaching home, he received three alerts of cash withdrawals totallÂing Rs 23,000 at an SBI ATM outlet near the NWTC, Belur campus main gate.
He immediately searÂched for the card and found it missing, while his other things were untouched. After blocking the card through customer care, Sudhakar then requested the NAL security at the Belur campus to prevent the driver and vehicle from leaving the campus.
After dropping the victim, the same driver had gone to pick up another person on the campus, the officer said. The scientist immediately rushed to the Belur campus with his transport in-charge. When the driver was questioned by the security guards, he refuted the claims of theft. However, upon inspecting the dustbin inside the ATM kiosk, the security found withdrawal slips totalling Rs 23,000; but the driver still refused to admit the crime.
He also refused to furnish any personal identification details and was finally let go after the travel agency confirmed that they would produce him on the campus at 8am on November 6.
Meanwhile, CCTV footage from the camera located at the main gate of NWTC Belur confirmed the driver’s movement toward the said ATM on two occasions, exactly coinciding with the time of transactions and SMS alerts that the victim received.
However, representatives of the travel agency failed to produce the driver on November 6, claiming that he had gone missing after the incident; thereby confirming the victim’s suspicions about the driver, said the officer. Sleuths from the Central Crime Branch are investigating the case.
