Runs Like Knitting Wear Industry on GT Road Nikhil Bhardwaj Ludhiana, July 19 How it happened A businessman lost Rs 69.9 lakh to cyber crime as hackers transferred the amount from his account to five accounts in India. The fraud has kept the police on their toes as there is a huge pendency of cyber crime complaints. There was Rs 80 lakh in the businessman’s account. The hacker left only Rs 10,000 as balance. The victim, Arun Beri, a resident of Basant Road, Civil Lines, owns Like Knitting Wear Industry situated on the GT Road. His firm has a bank account in the branch of Indian Overseas Bank at Clock Tower since 1991-92. He has alleged role of bank officials in the fraud. Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, Arun said on July 18, he was shocked to see that his mobile connection was showing ‘no service’. When he checked his email, he was shocked to find that his Internet banking password had been changed. “I received an email at 3.09 am on July 18 that showed my Internet banking password had been changed. I again received an email at 9.23 am the same day which showed that Rs 5 lakh had been transferred from my bank account through Internet banking. Then I reached the bank branch and was shocked to know that a total Rs 69.90 lakh had been transferred from my bank account by hackers,” the victim said. He said he reached the mobile service provider’s (Vodafone) office on the Gill road to enquire why his number was closed. The Vodafone staff told him that his number was activated in the name of some other person on July 17 night at 8.08 pm. “I had not made any request to Vodafone to close my number, then why was my mobile number, which is connected with my Internet banking, issued to some Rajpura-based man? I want the police to investigate the role of Vodafone staff as well,” Arun said. He also alleged connivance of the bank officials on the plea that his Internet banking has a limit of Rs 5-lakh transfer per day. How could someone transfer Rs 69.90 lakh from his account in a day? he asked. The Division No. 1 police have registered a case under Section 379, 66, 66 (D) and 66 (E) of the IT Act against unknown persons. The victim also lambasted the PM’s campaign of digitising India. He asked who would now compensate him for such a huge loss.The victim, Arun, said on July 18, he was shocked to see that his mobile connection was showing ‘no service’. When he checked his email, he was shocked to find that his Internet banking password had been changed. “I received an email at 3.09 am on July 18 that showed my Internet banking password had been changed. I again received an email at 9.23 am the same day which showed that Rs 5 lakh had been transferred from my bank account through Internet banking. Then I reached the bank branch and was shocked to know that a total Rs 69.90 lakh had been transferred from my bank account by hackers. My phone number was linked to my Internet banking account,” the victim said.

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