Kolkata: Senior leader of the All India Trinamool Congress and Member of Parliament Kalyan Banerjee has reportedly lost ₹55 lakh after falling victim to a cyber-fraud, according to news portal Anandabazar. The State Bank of India (SBI) has lodged a formal complaint with the police.
According to reports, the account in question belonged to Banerjee at the SBI Kalighat branch in Kolkata. His photograph and mobile number were allegedly used to first initiate a transfer of the sum from his main account to a dormant account at the bank’s Assembly sub‐branch. From there, the funds were reportedly withdrawn in full.
Banerjee said he was informed of the fraud on November 6 when the branch manager of SBI’s High Court branch contacted him. He was an MLA from 2001–2006 and the Assembly sub‐branch account was opened at that time for his allowances. Because he had not made any transactions for a considerable period, that account was classified as “dormant”.
In his reaction, Banerjee remarked: “If you keep money in the bank, criminals will take it, and if you keep money at home, Narendra Modi will take it.” The Kolkata Police’s cybercrime department has now reportedly launched an investigation into the incident.