Cyber fraud continues to plague Tripura, with a renowned senior pediatrician becoming the latest victim. Dr. Satyajit Chakraborty, a well-known child specialist from Agartala, has allegedly lost nearly Rs 7 lakh after fraudsters’ siphoned money from his personal bank account.
The incident has also raised serious questions over the role of the bank and the response of the police. The victim has alleged that instead of taking responsibility for safeguarding a depositor's funds, the bank directed him to the police's cyber crime unit. He further claimed that after lodging an FIR, police officials termed him "careless" and sent him home.
What has deepened the mystery is that the money was allegedly withdrawn despite the fact that neither Dr. Chakraborty nor his family shared any One-Time Password (OTP) with anyone.
The latest incident comes months after UCO Bank faced criticism over the alleged Rs 16-crore cheque fraud involving Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) funds at its Agartala branch. This time, the alleged cyber fraud took place through the Purbasha branch of UCO Bank.
According to Dr. Chakraborty, who is over 70 years old, he had been in Kolkata for nearly a month undergoing treatment for an eye ailment. On medical advice, he had largely stayed away from using his mobile phone during that period.
He said that while he was in Kolkata, an unidentified caller, claiming to be from the bank, asked for an OTP. However, his wife declined to provide it and informed the caller that they would verify the matter directly with the bank. No OTP was shared.
After returning to Agartala, Dr. Chakraborty visited the bank on August 7 to withdraw money. He was then informed by officials that funds had already been transferred from his account and that he had become a victim of cyber fraud. According to the bank, nearly Rs 7 lakh had been withdrawn in multiple transactions between July 6 and July 15.
Dr. Chakraborty said he has never subscribed to internet banking services, and even his ATM card has remained unused. He has always operated his account through cheques. Under such circumstances, he questioned how such a large amount could be withdrawn from his account without his knowledge.
He further alleged that the bank failed to provide a satisfactory explanation. Bank officials reportedly stated that transaction alerts had been sent to his mobile phone. However, the doctor questioned whether a customer undergoing medical treatment and unable to check mobile messages should be expected to lose his life's savings. He also alleged that the bank did not clarify whether it would take any steps to recover the stolen money, instead advising him to approach the police's cyber crime cell.
The distressed physician subsequently approached the Cyber Crime Cell at AD Nagar. After hearing his complaint, officials reportedly directed him to file an FIR at East Agartala Police Station.
After submitting the complaint, Dr. Chakraborty alleged that the duty officer questioned why he had not checked the SMS alerts and attributed the incident to his own negligence before sending him home. The senior doctor expressed disappointment over what he described as an insensitive and unprofessional response from the police.
The incident has reignited concerns over cyber security, customer protection by banks and the effectiveness of cyber crime investigations in the state. Observers noted that despite repeated awareness campaigns, victims continue to suffer significant financial losses while investigations often fail to produce timely results.
Dr. Chakraborty has appealed to the higher authorities to ensure that his case is investigated thoroughly and does not meet the same fate as the alleged Rs 16-crore UCO Bank cheque fraud case, in which, according to him, the accused are yet to be brought to justice despite the passage of several months.