After Phone Goes Missing, National Award-Winning Farmer Loses Rs 83,000

What began with the loss of a mobile phone ended in the disappearance of a lifetime's savings. Shailen Chandi, a national award-winning elderly farmer from West Bengal, has allegedly become the victim of cyber fraud, losing Rs 83,244 from his bank accounts. 

Despite running from pillar to post for over three and a half months, approaching the police station, the Cyber Crime Department, and bank authorities, he has neither recovered the money nor received any resolution.

Shailen Chandi is known for promoting eco-friendly farming by avoiding chemical fertilizers and cultivating indigenous seeds through herbal and sustainable agricultural practices. In recognition of his contribution to environmentally friendly farming, he received a National Award from a Union Ministry in 2019. However, in the final phase of his life, he now finds himself confronting the darker side of digital technology.

According to Shailen Chandi, his mobile phone went missing on March 29. He immediately lodged a written complaint at the police station. Since his bank accounts were linked to the SIM card in the lost phone, he promptly applied for a replacement SIM. After receiving the new SIM, he was shocked to discover from SMS alerts that Rs 6,000 and Rs 4,000 had been withdrawn in two separate transactions on March 31 from one of his accounts in a state-owned bank.

Realizing he had been defrauded, he filed separate complaints with Shantipur Police and the Cyber Crime Department on April 1. However, the fraud did not stop there. On April 2, another Rs 71,000 was allegedly siphoned off through 12 separate transactions from his account in another state-owned bank.

What has made the case even more alarming is that neither of the two bank accounts had online banking facilities enabled, and Shailen Chandi did not possess an ATM card. Bank officials themselves are reportedly unable to explain how such large sums could have been withdrawn digitally without ATM or online banking access.

Following the incident, the elderly farmer submitted written complaints to the managers of both banks, their nodal officers, the Cyber Crime Department, and even the main branch of the Reserve Bank of India. 

Despite sending reminder letters, no suspects have been identified even after more than three and a half months. He has expressed deep disappointment over the role of the police and the slow pace of the investigation.

Speaking with tears in his eyes, Shailen Chandi said, "Just as some people misuse science in agriculture by relying on hybrids and chemicals for temporary gains, cyber criminals are also misusing science for illegal profits. Then what is the purpose of advanced education, cyber crime departments, and the government's efforts if criminals continue to outsmart the system? Will those who exploit technology to cheat ordinary people ultimately prove to be the most powerful?"

Having lost his hard-earned savings in his old age, the national award-winning progressive farmer now finds himself in financial distress. 

(With inputs from Biswajit Banerjee)