GUWAHATI:
Cyber fraudsters have looted Asom Gana Parishad legislator Utpal Dutta of Rs 14.5 lakh from his account at SBI’s
Dispur branch here by changing his mobile number in the bank and creating a new
net banking account in his name.
Several
fraudulent withdrawals took place on May 19 and Dutta was in no position to receive any SMS alerts as his phone number was changed by the fraudsters on May 18. Dutta said that he did not have a net banking account either.
“Yesterday when my wife went to the bank to deposit a cheque, she found that there was just Rs 3,000 as balance in my account. I have filed an FIR with Dispur police station,” Dutta said.
Dutta said that when he went to the bank immediately, he was told by the bank officials that his mobile phone number registered with the bank and linked to his account was changed on May 18 on an application submitted at the branch.
“Together with the police, we saw the CC camera footages of May 18 and a person has been identified as the fraudster, who submitted the application seeking change of mobile number of account. I don’t understand how the bank could entertain the application without verifying my signature or calling me,” Duta said.
Later it was found the fraudsters had withdrawn the money, including shopping at Amazon, paying mobile bills using net banking and SBI’s mobile app.
Dispur police said, “We have registered the case and investigation is on. We can’t say anything more at this moment.” Dutta is a legislator from
Lakhimpur constituency and his party, AGP, is a partner of BJP in the ruling coalition government.--pk
