COIMBATORE: Two Assam natives who were working as cleaners in the private hospital were arrested for allegedly stealing the ATM cards of a patient who died of Covid-19 last year and stole Rs 8.67 lakh from her bank accounts.
Police said Atul Chgogai (55), a native of Anipur and Raj Panging (31) of Lakhipathar in Assam stole ATM cards from her belongings soon after her death and withdrew money on various occasions. The incident came to light when the woman's husband checked her account status.
M Krishnasamy (55) of KTS Nagar at Gobichettipalayam lodged a complaint with Peelamedu police on Thursday morning. He told in his complaint that his wife K Yasodha (52) was admitted with Covid symptoms at a leading private hospital on Avinashi road and she died without responding to the treatment on May 4, 2021. During treatment, Yasodha kept two debit cards for the expenses.
Krishnasamy, recently approached the Union Bank of India, the Gobichettipalayam branch, and the City Union Bank branch at Gobichettipalayam to check her account status and get the money back. He then came to know that Rs 4,82,710 was withdrawn from the Union Bank of India account by using the debit card between December 20, 2021, and March 24, 2022. Similarly, Rs 3.85 lakhs was withdrawn from City union bank account by using the debit card in the same period.
Krishnasamy approached the hospital management, where he came to know that the cleanliness workers, attached to a private cleaning services firm who had managed the cleaning work at the Covid wards, had allegedly stolen her debit cards.
"During the treatment, family members of the patient were not allowed inside the ward and it was accessed only by the cleaning staff frequently. Using that chance, the duo stole her debit cards. As the deceased used to keep her PIN numbers in writing along with the debit cards, the duo withdrew money," said a police officer.
Based on Krishnasamy's complaint, Peelamedu police registered a case under sections 379 (punishment for theft) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of IPC.
The duo had withdrawn Rs 8,67,710 last year and sent a part of the amount to their family members. The police are yet to recover the money.