TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee Lost Rs.56 Lakh, Cyber Fraudsters Steal Money from his SBI Account
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A big case of cyber fraud has been reported in West Bengal. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP from Serampore, West Bengal, Kalyan Banerjee, has reportedly lost ₹56 lakh after cybercriminals hacked into his bank account by using fake KYC documents.
According to media reports, the fraudsters targeted Banerjee’s dormant State Bank of India (SBI) account at the High Court branch in Kolkata. Using forged KYC papers, they managed to withdraw more than ₹55 lakh from this account.
The fraud came to notice when Kalyan Banerjee saw that a large amount of money had been moved from his active SBI account at the Kalighat branch to another old, inactive account belonging to him. This dormant account was opened between 2001 and 2006, during the time he served as an MLA. After the transfer, the scammers withdrew the money through several online transactions.
As per the complaint filed by SBI with the Cyber Crime Police Station, the criminals created fake PAN and Aadhaar cards in Banerjee’s name, but with someone else’s photograph. On 28 October 2025, they used these forged documents to update the KYC details of the dormant account and also changed the registered mobile number. This gave them full access to the account and allowed them to transfer a total of ₹56.39 lakh. The dormant account, originally opened when Banerjee served as a TMC legislator from Asansol (Dakshin) between 2001 and 2006, had remained inactive for years.
According to the bank’s complaint, the fraudster used counterfeit PAN and Aadhaar cards, with a photograph of Banerjee superimposed on the fake documents, to update the KYC details of his inactive account. The impersonator also changed the registered mobile number on October 28, 2025, gaining complete control over the account.
If an account is dormant, it can be activated only when the account holder visits the bank and submits his/her KYC. Therefore, this incident raises serious doubts — how could someone impersonate a politician, complete the KYC process, and carry out such a fraud? How did the bank fail to verify the identity properly? This clearly suggests that there may have been lapses on the bank’s part as well. The truth will only be known once the investigation is completed.
Reports suggest that the stolen money was sent to multiple beneficiary accounts, used for buying jewellery, and withdrawn from ATMs. SBI has started an internal inquiry and has assured complete cooperation with the police. The bank has handed over all KYC documents and transaction records to the investigating authorities.
A formal complaint has been lodged with the Bank Cybercrime Cell of Kolkata Police. The Cyber Crime Division has confirmed that an investigation is in progress to identify the suspects and trace the trail of the stolen funds.
This is a major case of cyber fraud. People on social media are asking: If high-profile individuals are not safe, then what will happen to ordinary people?
