11 people sentenced in Cosmos Bank cyber attack case; Mastermind still at large; They had withdrawn ₹92 crore from ATMs at Mumbai, Kolhapur, Indore and Ajmer
Pune: Policenama online – Cosmos Bank Cyber Attack Case – Pune Crime | The First Class Magistrate has announced the sentence for 11 people for cheating Cosmos Bank of ₹94.42 crore after carrying out a cyber attack on the ATM Switch (server) in the head office of the bank located on Ganeshkhind Road. These accused are Indians who went to ATM centres and withdrew money by using a cloned debit card. (Cosmos Bank Cyber Attack Case – Pune Crime)
The mastermind of the biggest cyber attack in India, those who actually carried out the cyber attack, those who carried out the transaction via a separate server bypassing the bank server and stealing the data of bank customers, preparing cloned VISA and RuPay debit cards and sending them to the accused and those who withdrew money from ATMs in 28 different countries, are still absconding.
The convicted accused have been identified as Fahim Mehfuz Shaikh, a resident of Bhiwandi, Fahim Azim Khan, a resident of Sillod taluka, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Shaikh Mohammad Abdul Jabbar, a resident of Sillod taluka, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Mahesh Sahebrao Rathod, a resident of Bhokar, Nanded district, Naresh Laxminarayan Maharana, a resident of Virar, Mohammad Sayyad Iqbal Hussain Jafri alias Ali, a resident of Bhiwandi, Utstes Augustine Vaz, a resident of Mumbai, Abdullah Afsarali Shaikh, a resident of Mira Road, Thane, Bashir Ahmad Abdul Aziz Shaikh, a resident of Mumbai, salman Mohammad Naeem, a resident of Mumbra, Thane, Feroz Yasin Shaikh, a resident of Mumbai.
The cyber crooks launched a cyber attack on the server located at the head office of the bank on Ganeshkhind Road and stole information about Visa and RuPay debit card holders on August 11, 2018 and used cloned cards, went to ATM centres and carried out transactions outside India of ₹78 crore and carried out 2,849 transactions in India by using cloned debit cards and cheated the bank of ₹2.5 crore. Later, on August 13, at 11.30 am, a swift transaction was initiated and transferred ₹13.92 crore in the account of ALM Trading Hong Kong of HangSeng Bank Hong Kong and withdrew it.
The investigation of the case was handled by Sr PI Jayram Paygude of cyber police station. When the technical analysis of the information obtained from NPCI, VISA and the bank was analysed, it was found that the maximum amount of money had been withdrawn from Kolhapur, Mumbai, Ajmer and Indore. After analysing the data, the cyber police arrested 18 accused in 2018 and 2019. On the basis of CCTV footage and other technical evidence, a chargesheet was filed. One of the accused is no more and 17 accused are still in judicial custody.
First seven accused have been sentenced to four-year simple imprisonment under section 420 and a fine of ₹200, 3-year simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹100 under section 469, six-month imprisonment under section 120 B, three-year simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹100 under IT ACT, section 66. Accordingly, eighth and ninth accused have been sentenced to four-year simple imprisonment and other punishment, 10th and 11th accused have been sentenced to four-year simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹200 and other sentences.
The case was investigated under the guidance of Addl CP Pradeep Deshpande, DCP Jyoti Priya Singh, DCP Sambhaji Kadam, ACP Shivaji Pawar by PI Jayram Paigude. Constable Ajit Kurhe and policeman Yogesh Vavhal worked as clerks. API Sagar Panmad, constable Aslam Attar and Santosh Jadhav provided help in gathering technical evidence. Special IGP Brijesh Singh, NPCI, Forensic Laboratory, Ganeshkhind and Hathway Internet provided special help. In the case, Adv Bodhini appeared on behalf of the government and PSI Renuse was the advocacy officer.
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