Patti (Pratapgarh). A cyber fraud case has been registered in Pratapgarh after ₹4,91,616 was allegedly withdrawn from two bank accounts without the victim clicking on any suspicious link, sharing an OTP or receiving an apparent fraudulent message. The account holder discovered the unauthorised withdrawals only after receiving a mobile alert about the transactions. Police have registered a case and begun investigating how the money was withdrawn and whether the accounts were accessed through an unauthorised banking or digital mechanism.
Kailash Nath Pandey, a resident of the Sadaha police station area, has a savings account at an ICICI Bank branch in Pratapgarh and a current account in Kanpur. According to his complaint, a total of ₹4,91,616 was withdrawn from the two accounts through separate transactions between around noon and 4 pm on September 9.
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Pandey said he did not click on any suspicious link or share an OTP with anyone before the transactions. He also did not receive any apparent warning message or communication that could have alerted him to unauthorised activity in his accounts. At around 5 pm, he received a mobile notification regarding the withdrawals and realised that money had been taken from both accounts.
After receiving the alert, Pandey immediately contacted the bank’s customer service centre and got both accounts blocked to prevent further transactions. He subsequently filed an online cyber fraud complaint and approached the Patti police station with a written complaint, seeking recovery of the money and action against those responsible.
Police registered a case on September 11 based on the complaint and launched an investigation. Investigators are trying to determine how the accused allegedly gained access to the bank accounts and what method was used to withdraw the money without the victim reportedly sharing an OTP or interacting with a suspicious link.
Police are examining the transaction details of both accounts. Investigators are tracing where the withdrawn money was transferred, through which channels the transactions were carried out and whether the funds were subsequently moved to other accounts. Banking activity immediately before and during the period of the withdrawals is also being scrutinised.
Technical details related to the banking transactions are expected to be crucial to the investigation. Police are examining whether account information, banking credentials or any other sensitive details may have been compromised, or whether another method was used to gain unauthorised access.
The case highlights a growing concern in cyber fraud investigations, as victims are often targeted through fake links, OTP requests, fraudulent KYC updates or impersonation of bank officials. In this case, however, the victim has said that none of these commonly reported methods were involved before the money was withdrawn from his accounts.
Investigators are therefore focusing on identifying the exact mechanism behind the transactions. Digital evidence, banking records and transaction trails will be analysed to determine whether the withdrawals were carried out remotely, through compromised credentials or by another means.
Police have said that the case has been registered on the basis of the complaint and that the transactions and other relevant details are being examined. The investigation is expected to establish how the money was withdrawn, where it was transferred and who was responsible for the alleged cyber fraud.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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