ATM fraud: 3 mastermind arrested in Gangtok

Gangtok: 3rd June:The Police nabbed the three persons who were behind the recent ATM rackets that were being reported from the Capital. Mr. Rockey Kumar Singh, 22 years from Bihar, Sanjoy Singh, 32 years and Sonu Kumar Singh were arrested by police on 1st June from Mangpong Thari in West Bengal. While speaking to Sadar PI Tshering Sherpa informed the media that these three were running from the Police since 1st June, when they were almost caught by the Police while attempting to enter in the ATM booth at Daragaon, Tadong at around 9:30 AM. Luckily at that time Cashier SBI bank Mr. Palden Pintso Bhutia was also present and was looking at their activities, when he suspected these people he entered in the booth and asked them questions. They were in possession of a handful of ATM cards at that time so they could not clarify the doubt of Mr. Bhutia. Mr. Bhutia immediately called the security guard but the culprits succeeded in escaping. It has also been informed that such incidents were happening since January 2011 and police was searching the minds behind such racket. After six months however the Police was successful in arresting the culprits from West Bengal. They were caught along with the vehicle (DL 4 C 1528) in which they were travelling. The police has further informed that those who have lost their money from their ATM cards will have to lodge a complaint at the Sadar Police Station. A case under section379/34/511 of IPC has been registered against the accused.

ATM Out of service at 14,400 ft

GANGTOK, October 26: The country’s and probably the world’s highest ATM counter of Union Bank of India (UBI) stationed at Kupup area near the mountainous corridor of Nathu La at an altitude above 14,400 ft is presently ‘out of service’ for the past one month.
The ‘out of service’ pasted at the ATM counter for the past one month is a disappointment to army personnel located in the area and hundreds of tourists who daily flock the famous Baba Mandir complex where the UBI machine occupies a prominent corner.
Army personnel manning the hordes of tourists and vehicles vying for a foothold in the complex informed that the ATM machine had stopped giving services ‘a month back’. Technicians had visited the counter a fortnight ago but could not fix the technical snags that led to the grounding of the machine.
It may be recalled that the UBI ATM counter had been launched with much fanfare on April 6, 2007 with the UBI chairman-cum-managing director MV Nair inaugurating the ATM, hailed as the country’s highest ATM counter.
The UBI had set up its 777th ATM at Kupup with an intention not only to offer its services to the army personnel here at the border but also to station itself in a prominent tourist spot to catch the eyeballs of hundreds of tourists visiting Baba Mandir complex daily.
The UBI chairman had said at that time that the tourists visiting Baba Mandir can feel a sense of pride and achievement by withdrawing money for commercial purposes at the highest ATM.
However, tourists visiting the UBI ATM at Baba Mandir complex have experienced more disappointment than satisfaction owing to the disorder within the machine.