A chief pharmacist at Hardoi Medical College has allegedly lost ₹2,03,900 from his bank account through 13 unauthorised transactions, despite saying that he neither received a suspicious call nor shared an OTP with anyone.
Sarvendra Singh, who works as the chief pharmacist at the medical college, reportedly discovered the fraud only after a series of bank alerts began appearing on his mobile phone.
The account is with Bank of Baroda. Singh is originally from Dakouli village under Madhoganj police station and currently lives in government accommodation on the medical college campus.
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13 Transactions Triggered Repeated Bank Alerts
According to Singh, he was on duty at the medical college at around 11:15 am on August 31 when messages about deductions from his account started arriving.
At first, he suspected that one of the transactions could have been the result of a technical error. But the alerts continued to arrive, prompting him to check his account.
He then found that money had been withdrawn through several transactions made at short intervals. Among the reported deductions were ₹42,000, ₹52,000, ₹10,000 and ₹9,999. The total loss eventually reached ₹2,03,900 across 13 transactions.
Singh said neither he nor any member of his family had issued a cheque or authorised an online payment at the time.
Victim Says He Never Shared an OTP
What makes the case particularly significant is the victim’s account of what happened before the withdrawals.
Singh said he had not received any suspicious call from an unknown person before the transactions. He also denied sharing an OTP with anyone.
This has left investigators with a key question: how were the transactions carried out without the account holder’s knowledge?
The exact method has not yet been established. Police and the cybercrime team are examining the transaction records, payment channels and beneficiary accounts to determine how the money was moved.
Investigators will also need to establish whether the transactions involved a banking credential, card-linked mechanism or another route connected to the account. The available information does not establish which method was used.
Cybercrime Helpline 1930 Used After Fraud Came to Light
Singh reported the matter to the cybercrime helpline 1930 soon after discovering the unauthorised transactions. He also submitted a written complaint at Madhoganj police station.
Police and cybercrime investigators are now tracing the movement of the money. If the amount was transferred into other bank accounts, those accounts could provide a trail to identify the people who ultimately received or moved the funds.
The timing of each transaction, the beneficiary details and the movement of the money after the initial withdrawals will form an important part of the investigation.
Authorities are also examining whether the bank account or transaction trail is connected to a wider cyber fraud network.
Cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh has advised victims of unauthorised banking transactions to immediately inform their bank and report the incident through 1930.
Transaction alerts, bank statements, payment details and complaint numbers should be preserved. Quick reporting can give banks and investigators a better opportunity to block or trace funds before they are moved through additional accounts.
The Hardoi case also highlights why people should not assume that a bank fraud can happen only after an OTP is shared. An unauthorised transaction can have different causes, and the actual route can be established only by examining the bank’s records and the investigation.
For now, the focus remains on identifying how the 13 transactions were executed, where the ₹2.03 lakh went and who was behind them.
What this means for you: Never assume your account is safe simply because you have not shared an OTP. If you notice an unauthorised transaction, contact your bank immediately, report it on 1930 and preserve every transaction alert and bank record.
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