TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee Loses ₹56 Lakh in Shocking Bank Fraud; Cybercriminals Reactivate Dormant SBI Account Using Fake KYC

Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress lawmaker and four-time Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee has fallen victim to a large online banking fraud, with cybercriminals allegedly draining out more than Rs 56 lakh from his dormant State Bank of India (SBI) account.

Fake KYC Used to Revive Dormant Account 

Official sources claim that the SBI High Court Branch in Kolkata has officially complained to the Cyber Crime Police Station, asking for a prompt inquiry into the fraudulent transactions. According to the complaint, the criminals updated the MP's account's KYC information using counterfeit PAN and Aadhaar cards along with an altered photo of him.

When Banerjee was a member of the West Bengal Assembly from Asansol (Dakshin) from 2001 and 2006, his dormant account was first registered. Before being fraudulently revived using fake paperwork, the account had been inactive for a number of years.

Fraudulent Transfers and Online Purchases

The scammers allegedly gained complete control over the account on October 28, 2025, by changing the registered cellphone number associated with it. After the information was changed, they started a number of online operations, including jewelry purchases, ATM withdrawals, and the transfer of Rs 56,39,767 to several beneficiary accounts.

According to reports, the fraudulent plan started when Banerjee moved Rs 56 lakh from his own SBI Kalighat branch account into the inactive account. The account was then depleted by further unauthorized transfers. Banerjee notified SBI officials as soon as she saw the unusual activity, which led to the bank filing a report with the cybercrime department.

Police and SBI Launch Probe

The Kolkata Police Cyber Crime Division has started a comprehensive probe into the matter. A senior police officer affirmed, "We are looking into the bank's internal procedures and contacting relevant officials to find out how the account was accessed." The money is being recovered and the con artists are being located.

SBI has committed to completely cooperating with authorities by providing KYC information, transaction logs, and internal audit details in order to assist in locating the criminals and identifying any operational faults inside the bank.