NOIDA: A 20-year-old resident of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, was left bewildered after finding an astronomical balance of more than Rs 1.13 lakh crore unexpectedly credited to his Kotak Mahindra Bank savings account.
Deepak, who had taken over his deceased mother Gayatri Devi’s bank account, received a late-night notification on August 3 showing a credit entry of Rs 10,01,35,60,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,23,56,00,00,00,00,299, a figure with 37 digits amounting to over 1 undecillion rupees. The surreal discovery triggered confusion and shock.
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Notification Triggers Frenzy
Per reports, Deepak initially believed the amount read Rs 1.13 lakh crore and shared the message with friends, asking for help in counting the zeros. The number, however, far exceeded standard comprehension and prompted widespread amusement and disbelief online after being shared by journalist Sachin Gupta.
Gupta tweeted, “My math is a bit weak. The rest of you can do the multiplication and division. Currently, the Income Tax Department is investigating. The bank account has been frozen.”
Bank Freezes Account, IT Probe Begins
The next morning, Deepak approached the local branch of Kotak Mahindra Bank to clarify the situation. Bank officials verified the account balance and immediately froze the account, notifying the Income Tax Department due to the abnormal transaction.
Initial reports suggest that the account originally belonged to Deepak’s mother, who passed away two months ago. He had been operating it since then.
Authorities are now examining whether the credit was caused by a technical malfunction, a data entry error, or a possible conduit for money laundering. A formal investigation is underway.
The episode sparked a wave of reactions across social media. While some joked that Deepak had become India’s richest man overnight, others raised concerns over the security and reliability of digital banking infrastructure.
Experts say such banking anomalies, while rare, are not unprecedented. However, the sheer scale of the credited amount has made this case particularly exceptional.
Deepak, overwhelmed by sudden media and public attention, has switched off his phone and is reportedly keeping a low profile while the investigation continues.