National award-winning farmer loses phone, then gets cheated of ₹80,000 despite not having internet banking enabled

Losing a mobile phone turned into a double whammy for an elderly farmer from West Bengal and a National Award winner. Shailen Chandi was cheated ₹83,244 in a cyber scam, he also lost his phone.

According to an NDTV report, Chandi has knocked on every door for the past three months. From approaching the police, cyber crime department to banking authorities, but they found no solution.

His mobile phone went missing on March 29, prompting him to immediately file a written complaint at the local police station.

What happened?

Because his bank accounts were linked to the SIM card in the missing phone, he quickly requested a replacement SIM. He received an SMS notification after activating the new SIM card ₹6,000 a ₹4,000 were withdrawn from one of his state bank accounts in two separate transactions on March 31.

After realizing he had been duped, he filed separate complaints with the Shantipur police and the cyber crime branch on April 1.

However, the scams continued. April 2 next ₹71,000 was allegedly withdrawn from his account in another state bank through 12 separate transactions.

What is even more shocking is that none of his bank accounts had internet banking enabled and he did not own an ATM card. According to an NDTV report, bank officials were also unable to explain how the money was withdrawn digitally despite the absence of ATMs and online banking.

Following the incident, the elderly farmer filed written complaints with the managers of both the banks, their nodal officers, the cyber crime department and the head office of the Reserve Bank of India.

Despite sending out several reminder letters, more than three and a half months later, no arrests have been made and no suspects have been identified. Chandi expressed disappointment at the police response and the slow progress of the investigation.

A teary-eyed Shailen Chandi told NDTV, “Just as some people misuse science in agriculture by relying on hybrids and chemicals for temporary gains, cybercriminals are also misusing science for illegal gains. So what is the purpose of advanced education, cybercrimes and government efforts if criminals continue to prove that they can outwit those with the most powerful technology to exploit the system?”

Who is Shailen Chandi?

Chandi is widely known for promoting organic farming by avoiding chemical fertilizers and growing native seeds using herbal and sustainable farming methods. In recognition of his contribution towards environment-friendly agriculture, he received a national award from the Union Ministry in 2019.