Pramesh S Jain
Even as the sensational CMS cash robbery case continues to make headlines,another major fraud involving a payment service company has surfaced in Bengaluru.
Employees of Hitachi Payment Services Pvt Ltd, which provides ATM cash management services to SBI and Axis Bank,have allegedly siphoned off over Rs.1 crore meant for ATM cash replenishment.
Senior officer told reporters that the accused were entrusted with collecting cash from a private bank in Koramangala and depositing it into various ATMs.
However,instead of loading the cash,they allegedly diverted the money.
Two separate FIRs registered at the Koramangala Police Station in connection with the fraud.
In the first case,a sum of Rs 57 lakh was allegedly misappropriated by accused Praveen,Dhanashekhar, Ramakka and Harish Kumar.
In the second case,another Rs.80 lakh was allegedly siphoned off by Harish Kumar,Praveen Kumar and Varun, acting as part of a separate team.
Investigators say both teams followed a similar modus operandi,deliberately failing to deposit the cash into ATMs after withdrawing it from the bank.
The cases were registered on January 19, following complaints lodged by officials of Hitachi Payment Services.
This incident comes close on the heels of the November 2025 CMS cash van robbery, in which nearly Rs.7 crore was looted in broad daylight a case that had sent shockwaves across the country and involved former CMS employees.
We have launched a manhunt for the accused and further investigation is underway to ascertain whether there are links between the two major cash-handling frauds.
