ATM robbery accused remanded in police custody

A Romanian national, arrested by police from Mumbai and brought to Kerala in connection with a hi-tech ATM robbery case, was today produced before a court which remanded him in police custody till August 22.
The order was passed by Chief Judicial Magistrate P V Aneesh Kumar when 35-year-old Gabrial Mariam was produced before him here.
Gabrial was nabbed from a hotel in Vashi by a team of Kerala Police on Wednesday night with the help of Mumbai Crime Branch.
Police informed the court that they wanted the accused in their custody for collecting evidence in the state.
He will also be taken to Chennai and Mumbai, police said.

At least 22 persons have filed complaints before police and bank officials regarding withdrawal of their money from the ATM counter.

As per the preliminary assessment, customers have lost about Rs 2.5 lakh from their accounts.
Meanwhile, some some revenue officials at nearby Neyatinkara have complained that through net banking, their accounts had been hacked and varying amounts withdrawn.
DGP Loknath Behara said vital information on the mode of operandi of the accused is expected come out in another three days time.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that a lot of technology has been used.
"We need to understand the technology. Vital information is expected to come out in three days time," he said.

Police have begun examining the CCTV footage not only of the public sector banks involved, but also of the places where the accused visited.
The CCTV visuals had revealed that four Romanians had tampered with the ATM of State Bank of India at Althara here.
While one of the accused was arrested from Mumbai, three others are suspected to have fled the country.
Police are also suspecting involvement of one more person in the crime who is still in the country.
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According to the FIR filed by police in the court, the accused illegally got the 'secured" bank data with the intention of stealing the money of depositors who came to the SBI ATM counterat Althara in the city.

They conspired and manufactured fake ATM cards with the data they obtained and withdrew money from ATMs in Mumbai, the FIR said.
The accused had committed offences threatening the Indian banking system and also the internal security of the country, it said, adding, investigation was in the preliminary stage.
More people are coming forward with complaints that their money had been stolen by the accused. There was also the possibility of increase in the amount stolen by the accused, it was stated.
Only after questioning of the accused, it would be known whether more persons are involved in the crime,the FIR said.

According to the FIR, the accused withdrew money from ATMs in Mumbai after making fake ATM cards from the date they collected money illegally from the SBI ATM here.
For securing the arrest of the three other foreign nationals involved in the case, a Red Corner notice has been issued and help of Interpol has also been sought, it said, adding, a non-bailable arrest warrants have also been issued against the accused.