Lawyer forgets cell phone in ATM, foreigner takes it

MUMBAI: An unusual case of mobile theft has been registered at the Colaba police station. High court advocate Sumeet Kumar Tyagi has attached video clips of HDFC Bank's Colaba branch, showing how he left behind his Blackberry phone valued at Rs 40,000. A foreign national picked it up and walked out, the clips showed.
According to Tyagi's complaint, on November 17, he had gone to withdraw cash from an HDFC ATM booth at Colaba."I had two mobile phones and as I was carrying a handbag, I kept my Blackberry on top of the ATM machine. After withdrawing money, I walked
out without taking my phone. After 15 minutes I realised I had forgotten my phone and ran back to the ATM but it was not there,'' said Tyagi.
The following day, he approached the HDFC Worli office where they showed him the CCTV footage of November 17. He identified himself and three foreigners. "The video shows that after Tyagi left, three foreigners entered the ATM and all withdrew some
cash. One of them is seen picking up the phone kept on the ATM machine,'' said assistant commissioner of police (Colaba division) Iqbal Shaikh.
The video clip, of which TOI has a copy, shows a foreign national, white, with a brown beard, wearing a black T-shirt that has a logo `I love India.' He picked up the mobile, put it in his backpack and walked out. Then Tyagi corresponded via email with the HDFC office in Chennai. He got the details of the foreigner who had withdrawn cash after him on November 17. HDFC in its reply stated that the card holder has an account with an Australian bank -Westpac Banking Corporation (Australia) that has a tie-up with HDFC bank. He had withdrawn Rs 5,000 from his own account.
"I found out from the mobile operator that he has been using my mobile number and he is very much in Delhi. I have even forwarded my complaint via email to the Australian consulate hoping that the officials will request him to return my mobile,'' added Tyagi.
The Colaba police, which has registered the case, is investigating the case.
ahmed.ali@timesgroup.com