Five suspects appeared before the court on January 15, 2017. Photo: Geo News screen grab

KARACHI: Chinese nationals allegedly involved in ATM skimming were remanded into the custody of Federal Investigation Agency till January 18, Geo News reported Monday. 

Five suspects appeared before the court on Monday. The investigating officer (IO) shared that the suspects have trouble understanding English which is becoming a hurdle in the way of investigation. He added that a group of eight to 10 people were part of the gang involved in ATM skimming. 

The judicial magistrate inquired, using hand gestures, from the Chinese nationals if they were tortured or maltreated. Replying to this, a Chinese National gestured that he suffered an injury to his head, adding that he was beaten up after covering his eyes.

ATM skimming fraud: Four more Chinese nationals arrested in Karachi

Suspects belong to an organised gang involved in the ATM skimming fraud in the city, says senior police official

However, the IO said that the suspect had bumped into the wall intentionally. 

The judge also ordered the IO to bring along a translator in the next hearing so that the court gets to know the name and relevant details of the suspects. 

The FIA had requested a 14-day remand of the suspects.

On Sunday, four Chinese nationals were arrested on suspicion of ATM skimming, the latest in a series of arrests linked to an organised gang behind a major electronic bank fraud in the city.

Police said three men were caught red-handed trying to install a skimming device on an ATM in the upscale Defence Housing Authority (DHA) locality early Sunday, only hours after a similar arrest from the Tipu Sultan Road area.

ATM skimming: Chinese national arrested in Karachi

The police informed that three accomplices of the suspect managed to escape

Superintendent of Police (SP) Clifton Asad Aijaz told reporters that a skimming device was seized from the arrested suspects, as well as Rs2.3million stolen from ATMs of different banks.

Two other suspects managed to flee from the site, said the senior police official.

But, after receiving information from the arrested foreigners, police later recovered over 150 automated teller machine cards and took a fourth suspect into custody who is currently being investigated.

On Sunday afternoon, police arrested a Chinese national from Tipu Sultan Road for his alleged involvement in ATM skimming fraud.

An ATM skimming device and Rs0.65million were recovered from the suspect?s possession, the police said, adding that three accomplices of the suspect managed to escape.