June 27, 2025:
In a major breakthrough, the Bicholim Police have busted an interstate gang involved in large-scale ATM card swapping frauds across several states. Two accused have been arrested in connection with a cheating case involving a 79-year-old senior citizen from Mayem, while a third accused is currently absconding.
The case came to light when the elderly complainant, Mr. Vasudev Sawant, approached Bicholim Police Station on June 27 and reported that on June 25, between 3:15 PM and 3:30 PM, he was approached by unknown individuals at the SBI ATM near Church Square, Bicholim. Under the guise of assisting him with a withdrawal, the accused cleverly swapped his ATM card with another. Moments later, the accused used his original card at the Central Bank ATM in Bordem to withdraw ₹40,000 through four transactions of ₹10,000 each — all without his consent.
Mr. Sawant also handed over a suspicious SBI card left behind by the accused, bearing the name “Saiyad Gaphar S O Saiyad,” which had been used in the fraudulent swap.
Based on his complaint, an FIR was registered under Bicholim PS Cr No. 83/2025 under sections 318(2), 318(3), 318(4), and 303(2) r/w 3(5) of the BNS.
Given the serious nature of the offence, especially as it targeted a senior citizen, Bicholim Police ramped up the investigation using both technical surveillance and local intelligence. During the probe, it was discovered that the accused were using two rented Yamaha Fascino scooters with registration numbers GA 03 V 8732 (blue) and GA 03 AH 7749 (grey), traced to a Calangute-based rental service.
A swift operation by the police team — including PSI Shridhar Kamat, PSI Rashmir Parab Matonkar, and constables Vishal Parab, Dayesh Khandeparkar, and Shailesh Dawane — led to the apprehension of two suspects near Prema Guest House in Calangute. The accused were identified as:
1. Sanjay Maheswal (33), native of Hissar, Haryana
2. Sonu Kumar (32), also from Hissar, Haryana
Both were arrested early morning on June 27 and their scooters seized under a formal panchanama.
Seized Items from Sonu Kumar:
• SBI Debit Card of the complainant Vasudev Sawant
• 22 other ATM cards
• Wallet with ₹620
• Silver Yamaha Fascino (GA03-AH-7749)
• T-shirt and black trousers
Seized Items from Sanjay Maheswal:
• 19 ATM cards
• One HMD mobile phone with VI SIM
• ₹1,070 in cash
• Blue Yamaha Fascino (GA03-V-8732)
• Shirt and pista-coloured pants
The third accused, identified as Sanjay s/o Hawa Singh Mandi (34), resident of Kanoh, Hissar, remains absconding.
During investigation, it emerged that the same duo was also involved in a similar offence registered at Panaji Police Station on June 26 (Cr No. 83/2025), where a victim named Asif Sheikh was duped and ₹1,17,000 was fraudulently withdrawn after a card swap at the HDFC ATM in Panaji.
Police revealed that the accused have a history of ATM fraud across multiple states — including Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, and Jharkhand — and are believed to have carried out over 100 such thefts.
Travel Trail:
The accused duo travelled from Haryana to Goa via public transport, passing through Indore, Malkapur, Solapur, and Bijapur, finally arriving in Mapusa on June 25. From there, they proceeded to Calangute, booked a stay at Prema Guest House, and rented scooters to begin their operation.
Modus Operandi:
The gang targeted ATM users by first visiting ATM machines in the area and applying Fevicol to disrupt the ATM slot. Once the machine showed signs of malfunction, they posed as helpful bystanders, observed the user’s PIN, and then slyly swapped the card with a decoy one. They later used the original card for withdrawals.
Further investigation is ongoing to trace the absconding accused and connect the dots with similar interstate crimes.
Police have appealed to the public, especially senior citizens, to be vigilant while using ATMs and to avoid accepting help from strangers.
