In a significant development, a Teliamura court has issued jail sentences and imposed fines on individuals involved in an ATM hacking incident that took place on November 15, 2019. The incident, which resulted in the unauthorized withdrawal of Rs 20,000 from the State Bank of India (SBI) account of Supriya Das, has now reached its legal conclusion with the court’s decision.
The case came to light when Supriya Das received an SMS alert on her mobile phone, notifying her of the suspicious withdrawal. Acting swiftly, she lodged a written complaint with the Teliamura police station on November 18, 2019. The police registered a case under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), considering it a fraudulent act.
Due to a series of similar ATM hacking incidents reported across the state, the case was subsequently transferred to the cybercrime division. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nirdesh Deb, from the Cybercrime division, assumed responsibility for the investigation.
On November 19, 2019, with the assistance of the Kolkata Belgharia Police, four individuals were apprehended in connection with the case. Among them were two Bangladeshi nationals, Md Rafique Islam and Md Hanna, and two Turkish nationals, Hakanzan Burkhan and Fetaha Aldi Min. Investigations revealed that all four suspects had entered Agartala through the Agartala Akhaura check post on October 31, 2019, and had been residing in various hotels in Agartala from November 2 to November 13, 2019.
During the arrests, authorities confiscated 27,600 Bangladeshi Taka in cash and Rs 30,20,800 from the hackers’ bank accounts. The accused individuals faced multiple charges, including sections 120(B)/420/379 of the IPC, sections 43/66(C) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, and section 3 of the Passport Act. A charge sheet was subsequently filed in the court, presenting the findings of the investigation.
The case was brought before the Judicial Magistrate First Class Court No-2, Purbi Jamatia, where the accused were found guilty after careful examination. Today, the court delivered its verdict, which included the following sentences: three months of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 120(B) of the IPC, two years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 420 of the IPC, one year of imprisonment under Section 379, one year and five months of imprisonment under Section 66 of the IT Act, one year and five months of imprisonment under Section 43 of the IT Act, and one year and five months of imprisonment under the Passport Act. It is important to note that all sentences will run concurrently.
Advocate Utpal Bhowmik represented the government in this case, ensuring that justice was served. This verdict serves as a deterrent to those who engage in cybercrime and reaffirms the commitment to maintaining the integrity of financial systems.
