TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee loses more than Rs 55 lakh in cyber crime, fraudsters manipulated KYC

Kalyan Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and four-time Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee reportedly lost more than Rs 55 lakh after his dormant State Bank of India (SBI) account was reactivated using fake documents. The SBI High Court Branch in Kolkata has already registered a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police Station, prompting a full-fledged investigation, according to reports.

According to the bank’s complaint, the cybercriminal used counterfeit PAN and Aadhaar cards with a superimposed photograph to update the KYC details of Banerjee’s old account. After the fraudulent update, the individual replaced the registered mobile number on October 28, 2025, giving them complete control of the account. Once access was secured, the impersonator allegedly conducted multiple online transactions, siphoning off around Rs 56,39,767 through internet banking.

Police officials said the stolen amount was moved across several beneficiary accounts, withdrawn through ATMs, and even used to purchase jewellery. “The entire matter is being investigated thoroughly. We are examining the bank’s internal processes and contacting officials to determine how the account was accessed. Efforts are being made to track the fraudsters and the destination of the funds,” said a senior officer from the Kolkata Police Cyber Crime division.

Officials have been quoted to say that the fraudsters had used Banerjee’s photograph along with a different mobile number during the forged KYC process.

According to News18, citing sources, the account in question had been inactive for years. It was originally opened when Banerjee was serving as a Trinamool Congress legislator from Asansol (Dakshin) between 2001 and 2006, during which his salary as an MLA was credited there. The dormant account, left untouched since then, was recently reactivated through these forged credentials.

It is understood that Banerjee discovered the fraud only after noticing that Rs 55 lakh had been moved from his personal SBI account at the Kalighat branch into the long-dormant account. The account was soon emptied through a series of online transactions. Upon realizing the irregularity, he promptly alerted the bank, leading to the registration of a cybercrime complaint and the launch of an internal investigation to identify any potential lapses in procedure.

A senior Trinamool leader close to him remarked that the MP is “hopeful that the police will crack the case soon and help him recover the lost amount.”