Nagpur: A widow was allegedly cheated of ₹50 lakh by an HDFC Bank agent who pretended to help her operate net banking and instead siphoned off her fixed deposit amount. Kotwali Police have booked the accused, identified as Saurabh Durga Kumar Mishra (32), on charges of fraud.

The 38-year-old victim, Priyanka, had received ₹50 lakh from her late husband’s insurance policy after his death in 2021. She deposited the amount as a fixed deposit in HDFC Bank, where Mishra had assisted her in opening the account. Exploiting her lack of technical knowledge, Mishra gained her trust and frequently visited her home under the pretext of helping her with net banking.

During one such visit, he allegedly transferred the entire FD amount into bank accounts belonging to his acquaintances. When the victim questioned him, he refused to cooperate. Police later issued summons for inquiry, which he ignored, prompting a formal cheating case.

Priyanka, who supports her children by running a beauty parlour, has been left shattered as the ₹50 lakh was her only major financial security. Notably, this is the second major fraud reported within Kotwali police limits in the last three months, raising serious concern over rising financial crimes targeting vulnerable citizens.