Ahmedabad retiree alleges SBI credit card fraud of ₹ 22.71 lakh, insurance agent booked for cheating

A 63-year-old retired resident of Bapunagar has lodged a police complaint alleging that an insurance agent known to him for nearly a decade fraudulently obtained and operated SBI credit cards in his name, carrying out unauthorised transactions amounting to ₹ 22.71 lakh.

According to Bapunagar police, Kishorebhai Parmar, a resident of Bapunagar, alleged that the accused, identified as Tushar Mohapatra, an SBI Life Insurance agent residing in Lambha, exploited their long-standing acquaintance to gain access to his banking details.

Parmar told police that he had purchased a life insurance policy worth ₹ 1 crore through the accused and had paid five installments of ₹ 50,000 each. Subsequently, Mohapatra allegedly assisted him in obtaining an SBI credit card from the SBI Ashram Road branch.

The complainant alleged that as he had no requirement for a credit card, he entrusted the matter to the accused. Police said the accused allegedly replaced the complainant’s registered mobile number with his own and changed the email address linked to the credit card account without the complainant’s knowledge or consent.

Investigators said the accused allegedly received one-time passwords (OTPs) on his own mobile phone and used the credit card for multiple purchases between June 2021 and August 2023. The FIR further states that after cancelling the first credit card without informing the complainant, the accused allegedly procured a second card in the complainant’s name and continued making purchases.

The transactions worth ₹ 17.89 lakh were carried out using the first card, while purchases amounting to ₹ 4.82 lakh were allegedly made through the second card. The total alleged unauthorised expenditure stands at ₹ 22.71 lakh.

The complainant alleged that he became aware of the transactions only later and accused the insurance agent of criminal breach of trust, misuse of personal information and cheating.

Bapunagar police have registered an offence. Officials said bank records, credit card statements, account-linked mobile numbers and email details will be examined as part of the probe.

Police said further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events and verify the allegations made in the complaint.