Malappuram: A panchayat member was among four men arrested for stealing Rs 1.59 crore from the money meant for refilling ATMs.

The accused were employees of a Mumbai-based agency, contracted by banks for refilling their ATMs.

ADVERTISEMENT

Police identified the arrested men as Orrakam panchayat member N T Shibu, 31, of Vengara, Mahit, 34, of Manjeri, Krishnaraj, 28, of Kavanoor, and Saseedharan, 32, of Kottakkal.

The men had been with the agency for the past five years. Shibu had contested the panchayat polls as a Muslim League candidate.

ADVERTISEMENT

The agency has been engaged in refilling the ATMs of various banks. The accused were responsible for refilling 29 ATMs on the Malappuram-Kozhikode highway.

Police said the accused used only a part of the cash to refill the ATMs and kept the remaining with themselves. Their illegal activity came to light while six months' accounts were audited on November 20.

ADVERTISEMENT
The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.