Agartala: In a shocking case of financial fraud, a tea seller from Kalibari, 79 Tilla, Agartala, Tripura, has accused his neighbors of stealing over Rs 3 lakh by misusing his mobile phone for unauthorized UPI transactions.
The victim, Nabadwip Saha, filed a formal complaint against Pritosh Deb alias Dayal and his sister, Rumpa Deb, seeking justice. Based on his complaint, police have arrested the prime accused, Pritosh Deb.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Saha, who runs a small tea stall near his home, had a savings account at the State Bank of India’s Kunjaban Branch but was unfamiliar with mobile banking or UPI transactions. He relied solely on in-person banking services.
The fraud allegedly began when Pritosh Deb borrowed Saha’s mobile phone, claiming to have lost his own. Trusting his neighbor, Saha handed over the phone. An hour later, Rumpa Deb also borrowed the phone, saying she needed to call a beauty parlour. Upon visiting their house, Saha found his phone with Pritosh Deb and took it back.
Later, Saha noticed unfamiliar bank messages on his phone. When he asked the siblings, they convinced him that the messages were harmless promotional ones and deleted them to cover up their actions.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The fraud came to light on February 25, 2025, when Saha deposited Rs 40,000 into his account and updated his passbook, only to discover a balance of Rs 40,879. Further inquiry revealed that on February 16, 2024, his account balance had been Rs 3,04,347, but multiple UPI transactions had drained the funds by July 9, 2024.
Saha, who never had a UPI ID and was unaware of digital transactions, accused Pritosh Deb of creating a UPI ID linked to his account and siphoning off the money.
He also stated that he never received SMS notifications about the unauthorized withdrawals, raising suspicions of possible collusion or technical failure.