Mumbai: Six arrested for making transactions using foreigners’ card details
The police arrested six members of the gang, including a woman, from Delhi and Mumbai and recovered 9 electronic data capture machines from them
The Mulund police have busted a gang based in Delhi that acquired electronic data capture (EDC) machines from shop owners on commission basis and used them to defraud foreigners by using their credit /debit card details.
They also arrested six members of the gang, including a woman, from Delhi and Mumbai and recovered 9 EDC machines from them. On checking three of the EDC machines, the police found that the accused had used them to make 234 transactions using 38 cards belonging to foreign nationals.
The arrested accused have been identified as Salim Khan, 26, Suraj Singh, 25, Rupesh Gandhare, 41, Sonika Washani, 30, Sachinkumar Balkishan Singh, 34, Suresh KC alias Khatrichhatri, 37.
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Police said Khan, who runs a chicken shop in Thane (West), had given his EDC machine to Mulund-resident Suraj Singh. Gandhare is a resident of Rabale area in Navi Mumbai and works as a senior officer in a private firm.
Police said Gandhare knew Sonika and gave the EDC machine to her. Sonika passed it on to her friend Balkishan Singh. KC, who hails from Nepal, provided details of foreigners’ debit and credit cards to Balkishan who used them to make the transactions.
The gang’s activities came to light after the Mulund branch of State Bank of India noticed a suspicious transaction of Rs 29,680 made in Delhi through a foreigner’s debit card using EDC machine issued to Khan.
The bank stopped the payment and reported the matter to Mulund police station. During interrogation, Khan confessed of having given his EDC machine to Suraj Singh.
The police then nabbed the remaining five members of the gang. Sonika, Balkishan and KC were arrested from Delhi and other two from Mumbai, said Sanjay Darade, additional commissioner of police (east region). A police team has now been sent to trace the culprit who provided the card details to KC, Darade added.
A police officer said Khan deducted 15℅ commission on the transactions through his machine and transferred the balance amount to Suraj Singh. Each accused deducted their respective percentages and then transferred the balance in Sonika’s bank account in Delhi, the officer said.
Police have recovered seven mobile phones, laptop, 21 cards, nine EDC machines and a card reader from the accused.