A recently hired employee of a cash logistics company has allegedly absconded with a substantial sum of money meant for Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Rajkot, Gujarat. The incident has led to the filing of a formal police complaint for criminal breach of trust.
Details of the ATM Cash Disappearance
The accused has been identified as Sagar Devaliya, a resident of Veraval in Gir Somnath district. He was employed as a custodian by CMS Info Systems Ltd, a major cash management company. According to the First Information Report (FIR) lodged at Gandhigram police station, the incident unfolded over two days.
On January 2, CMS Info Systems received a consignment of Rs 4 crore in cash from the main branch of a nationalized bank in Rajkot. This money was intended to replenish various ATMs across the city. The total cash was divided into two separate routes for distribution.
Devaliya was assigned to the second route, which involved loading Rs 1.30 crore into 14 different ATMs. The operation, however, faced an initial hurdle when the team's vehicle broke down, forcing them to return to the CMS office. They later resumed their task with a replacement vehicle.
The Discovery of the Shortfall
During the route, the team successfully loaded Rs 29 lakh into two ATMs located near Junction Plot. As per procedure, the remaining cash was supposed to be returned to the company's office at the end of the shift. The discrepancy came to light the following day during a routine reconciliation process.
Company officials were alarmed to find that only Rs 91 lakh had been deposited back, instead of the expected remaining balance of Rs 1.01 crore. This pointed to a significant shortfall of Rs 10 lakh.
An immediate internal review was conducted. Scrutiny of computer records and route data confirmed the missing amount. The company's investigation alleged that Devaliya, who had been with CMS for a mere 20 days, had dishonestly misappropriated the cash for his personal use.
Police Investigation Underway
The FIR was officially registered by Gopalsinh Zala, a manager with CMS Info Systems. Law enforcement agencies have now launched a full-scale investigation into the matter. Police are examining a range of evidence to trace the accused and establish the sequence of events.
Key pieces of evidence under scrutiny include:
- All relevant company documents related to the cash handling.
- Detailed route logs from the day of the incident.
- CCTV footage from the ATMs where loading took place and from the CMS office.
The case highlights the vulnerabilities in cash logistics operations and the risks associated with entrusting new employees with high-value consignments. The Gandhigram police are continuing their probe to locate Sagar Devaliya and recover the stolen funds.
