Our Bureau
AGARTALA, January 12, 2020: A man whom police picked up in connection with investigation in a case relating to sensational ATM hacking in Agartala died under mysterious circumstances in custody of west Agartala police station. Understanding sensitivity nature of the incident Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb ordered a magisterial probe.
Sushanta Ghosh, 38, was arrested from his home at Lankamura in Agartala on Saturday. When produced the court sanctioned his one day remand in police custody.
Ghosh was found hanging in toilet of attached with the lockup in west Agartala police station before dawn on Sunday. He was declared brought dead in a city hospital.
The Crime Branch (CB) officials interrogated him in the night few hours before his death.
Police said Ghosh was arrested on basis of confession made by one of four foghorn hackers – two Turkish and two Bangladeshis earlier arrested in Kolkata and recently brought to Agartala on a transit remand.
The hackers duped over 60 bank customers of different banks mostly State Bank of India (SBI) in Agartala in November last and siphoned nearly one crore rupees.
The hackers had used ‘Skimmer Device’ to crack the ATM Pin numbers and other technical details of the customers. They snooped down in State Bank of India ATM counters at Battala, Indra Nagar and Kaman Chowmuhani as well as a booth of State Co-operative at Post Office Chowmuhani in Agartala city.
Identification of hackers made from CCTV footage installed in ATM booths.
Chief Minister ordered the magisterial probe into the custodial death. He even commented on his strict stance in matters related to law and order.
The Crime Branch under Tripura police has been investigating the case registered under different sections of IT Act.
The death of the youth in police custody triggered tension in Lankamura locality on Sunday. Angry residents even attacked a policeman and injured him seriously.
Victim’s family said they have reasonable reasons to doubt police for committing ‘murder’ in the lock up. They even alleged receiving threat from a police officer who came to their residence to execute the arrest.