A Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC) assistant commissioner lost ₹67,730 to a conman who allegedly swapped his ATM card at a kiosk in Kharar and used it for multiple transactions, including purchase of a gold ring.

Complainant Rakesh Kumar Sharma, 57, of Kharar, said the incident took place around 12.30 pm on June 4 when he had stopped at an Axis Bank ATM near the gurdwara in Sunny Enclave to withdraw ₹5,000. He was on his way to Balongi with his wife at the time.

Sharma said that as soon as he inserted his card and entered the PIN, a man standing near the ATM door drew his attention to his spectacles, which had fallen on the floor. Sharma said he was briefly distracted while picking up the spectacles, which he is when, he suspects, the accused may have swapped his card. A few hours later, when he checked his account, he found that most of the money had been withdrawn.

Police said five transactions were carried out using the stolen card. The accused allegedly spent ₹41,590 at a jewellery shop in Chandigarh, withdrew ₹10,000 twice and ₹5,000 once from ATMs, and spent ₹1,140 at a liquor vend. The transactions reduced Sharma’s account balance from ₹67,832.84 to ₹102.84.

After discovering the fraud, Sharma blocked the card and approached his bank. During his own inquiry, he visited the jewellery store where one of the transactions had taken place and obtained closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera images and a purchase invoice allegedly linked to the accused.

Police said the complainant later submitted the photographs and related documents along with his statement.

Kharar police have registered a case under Section 305 (theft) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.