Pune: Shivajinagar Police have arrested a notorious fraudster who duped elderly citizens by offering to help them withdraw money from ATMs and then swapping their debit cards to siphon off money from their accounts.

The accused, identified as Pramod Sitaram Yelmar (47), had been operating in Pune for a significant time and is linked to four cases of fraud across various police stations in the city.

The accused's modus operandi involved approaching elderly individuals at ATMs, offering help to withdraw cash, learning their PIN, and then swapping their debit card with a different one.

He would then instruct the victims to leave, claiming that the ATM was out of cash, only to use their card to withdraw large sums of money later.

The arrest was made after a senior citizen filed a complaint with the Shivaji Nagar Police, stating that ₹29,000 had been fraudulently withdrawn from their account after visiting a Bank of Maharashtra ATM.

While patrolling the Jangli Maharaj Road, the police spotted Yelmar, who matched the description provided by the victims. A search revealed multiple ATM cards from various banks and ₹17,050 in cash.

Upon further investigation, it was revealed that Yelmar was involved in similar crimes in other parts of the city.

The police are investigating whether Yelmar committed more such crimes in other ATM centers across Pune. Additional cases are also registered against him at Waduj and Dahiwadi police stations.

The operation was successfully carried out under the supervision of senior police officials, including Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, and involved a dedicated team from the Shivaji Nagar Police.