Man cheated of ₹89,000 at Sarai Rohilla railway station while helping ‘thief cover his tracks’

A 19year-old man, Dilshad, came and sat down next to the complainant, Amit Kumar, and began to cry. He said he had stolen ₹1.5 lakh from the house where he used to work because his family in his village needed money, but now he was afraid the police would catch him. So he offered the money to Kumar to help him cover his tracks

A 19year-old man and his associate cheated a 26year-old of ₹89,000 and stole his ATM card and mobile phone, after they offered him ₹60,000 the former had allegedly stolen from his workplace, while waiting for a train at Sarai Rohilla railway station.

The police ascertained details of the transaction and managed to catch the suspect, Dilshad, who was arrested.

According to police, Amit Kumar, an engineer from Bihar and a resident of Noida, arrived at the railway station at 9pm on December 8 to catch a train to Bathinda. Since the train was scheduled to depart at 10.42pm, he sat on a bench outside the station where another man was already sitting, police said.

Then, a 19year-old man, identified as Dilshad, a resident of Bawana’s JJ Colony, came and sat down next to Kumar, and began to cry, said deputy commissioner of police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi.

The other man who was sitting beside Kumar asked Dilshad why he was crying, police said. The latter said he had stolen ₹1.5 lakh from the house where he used to work in three bundles of ₹500 denomination, police said. Dilshad said his family in his village was in need of money, but now he was scared that the police would catch him with stolen money, police said. “Dilshad offered Kumar ₹1.5lakh in exchange for ₹90,000 from his account. He said Kumar could keep the extra ₹60,000,” an officer probing the case said.

The man who was sitting beside Kumar persuaded him to help Dilshad, and said the two of them could divide the ₹60,000 among themselves, police said. Kumar then asked his wife to send him ₹80,000 and his friend to send him ₹10,000, police said. Kumar then went to an ATM with Dilshad and the other man, where he showed them that ₹90,000 has been transferred to his account, police said. “During this process, the two men noticed the PIN and PhonePe details of Kumar,” the officer said.

On the way back to the railway station, Dilshad and the man engaged Kumar in conversation, and convinced him they had put ₹1.5lakh in his bag, where his phone and ATM card were also kept, police said. But instead, they managed to grab his ATM card and mobile phone and flee with them, police said.

When Dilshad and the other man had left, Kumar realised that his phone and ATM card were missing from his bag, and there was no money Dilshad had allegedly put there. The next morning, he called his bank and realised that ₹89,000 had been withdrawn from his account, police said.

The police ascertained details of the transaction and managed to catch the suspect, Dilshad, who was arrested. “The suspect has been taken on remand to recover ₹89,000 stolen from Kumar as well as the alleged bundles of ₹500 denomination notes, mobile phone and ATM card of Kumar,” the officer said.