By arresting three alleged fraudsters from Uttar Pradesh in Leh, Ladakh, the Banihal Police in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district have busted an interstate gang involved in a sophisticated ATM card-swapping racket.
According to the police, the gang targeted elderly, illiterate, and unsuspecting people by posing as helpful bystanders at isolated ATM kiosks.
The accused allegedly committed the fraud in the Banihal area along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway but were tracked down and arrested in Ladakh within ten days of the crime.
Police said preliminary investigations suggest that the interstate gang was involved in cheating innocent people, particularly senior citizens unfamiliar with operating ATMs.
According to the initial investigation, the fraudsters would identify vulnerable victims at ATM kiosks and offer assistance in withdrawing cash. While pretending to help, they would discreetly swap the victims’ debit cards with similar-looking cards and later use the stolen cards to withdraw money from their bank accounts.
Investigators believe the gang deliberately targeted people with little or no knowledge of ATM operations, exploiting their trust to carry out the fraud.
The case came to light on June 17, 2026, when Police Station Banihal received a complaint from a local woman alleging that her ATM card had been swapped while she was using an ATM near the Banihal Bus Stand.
Acting swiftly, the police registered FIR No. 127/2026 under Sections 303(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against unidentified persons and launched an intensive investigation.
Using a combination of technical analysis and human intelligence, investigators traced the suspects to Leh, Ladakh. A special police team was immediately dispatched, which, after conducting surveillance, successfully apprehended the three accused.
The arrested persons have been identified as Arjun, son of Raj Kumar, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh; Shivam Kumar, son of Jagpal Singh, a resident of Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh; and Monti, son of Pahal Singh, a resident of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
After completing the required legal formalities and obtaining a transit remand from the competent court, the police team brought the accused to Police Station Banihal for further investigation.
Police are now probing the gang’s possible involvement in similar ATM frauds across Jammu and Kashmir and other states. Efforts are also underway to identify additional members of the racket and recover the money allegedly syphoned from the victims’ bank accounts.
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