ATM Loading Staff Arrested For Currency Conversion Racket

Visakhapatnam:Seven employees of a company, which loads cash in 128 ATMs of several banks here, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly pilfering about Rs 74 lakh in Rs 100 and Rs 2,000 denominations for converting black money into white at a commission.

Police also arrested three other persons and managed to recover Rs 35 lakh from the gang, that had syphoned off about Rs one crore in the past two years by short-filling the ATMs and manipulating the machines, according to probe. The racket came to light when the Railway Protection Force (RPF) caught one of the accused, Dasari Srinivas, after finding his demeanour suspicious and seized Rs 15 lakh in the new Rs 2,000 denomination at Samalkot in East Godavari on Tuesday. His questioning led to discovery of the racket, police said.

Those arrested were identified as D Srinivas, B Rambabu, P V Dora, RGV Gowtham, L Manoj Kumar, P Nookayyasetty and K Deepak Kumar, all employees of Scientific Security Management Services, which loads cash in 128 ATMs of SBI, HDFC and few other banks here.

DCP Navin Gulati said after the demonetisation, when demand for Rs 100 and the newly introduced Rs 2,000 notes increased, they pilfered Rs 74 lakh in Rs 100 and Rs 2,000, meant for loading in ATMs. About Rs 39 lakh of this amount was swapped for the defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes at 25 per cent commission.
The three others arrested are S Mahesh Babu, B Satish Kumar and V Kesava, who allegedly scouted for customers in need of Rs 100 and Rs 2,000 notes to convert the black money hoarded in defunct notes, police said.