Special Correspondent
Pune: Pune police have arrested a 54-year-old man in connection with a widespread ATM card swapping fraud, uncovering 166 debit cards in his possession.
The accused, identified as Raju Prahlad Kulkarni, a resident of PMC Colony, Sahakarnagar, originally hails from Mysuru. A case has been registered against him at Vishrambaug police station under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, following a complaint filed by a 60-year-old rickshaw puller.
Fraudulent Card Swap Leads to Arrest
The incident came to light when the complainant attempted to withdraw money from a Bank of Maharashtra ATM at Ganjve Chowk on Shastri Road between 6:45 pm and 7:00 pm on February 2. Kulkarni allegedly offered assistance, swapped the ATM card under false pretenses, and later withdrew ₹22,000 from another ATM.
Alarmed by the unauthorized transaction, the rickshaw driver promptly approached the Vishrambaug police. Constable Mayur Bhosale led the investigation, reviewing CCTV footage from the ATM, which ultimately led to Kulkarni’s arrest. Upon his apprehension, police recovered 34 debit cards from his possession.
Massive Debit Card Haul Discovered
During further investigation, authorities searched the accused’s residence and discovered an additional 132 debit cards, bringing the total count to 166. It was revealed that Kulkarni had stolen ATM cards from at least 25 people across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, withdrawing significant amounts of money and transferring it to two bank accounts in his hometown in Mysuru.
Senior Citizens Targeted
Police officials stated that Kulkarni, who was unemployed, primarily preyed on elderly individuals and pensioners visiting nationalized bank ATMs. He closely observed their transactions, noted their PINs, and then swapped their cards with identical ones of the same color. Once in possession of a victim’s ATM card, he withdrew funds from different locations.
Investigators linked Kulkarni to at least 14 cases across multiple police station jurisdictions, including Vishrambaug, Sahakarnagar, Bibvewadi, Sinhagad Road, Kothrud, Lashkar, Vishrantwadi, Alandi, and Bhosari.
Police Custody Extended
Following his initial five-day remand, Kulkarni was produced in court on Monday. Authorities suspect that he may have had accomplices and that the stolen funds were deposited into two bank accounts in Mysuru. Assistant Public Prosecutor Amar Nanavare sought an extension of police custody to further probe the matter. The court approved the request, extending his custody by eight days.
Meanwhile, police have contacted the concerned banks to gather additional details regarding the seized debit cards and continue to investigate the full extent of Kulkarni’s fraudulent activities.
