In a bizarre case of identity theft, a 26-year-old farmer from Ajmer, Rajasthan, was left stunned after receiving an income tax notice linked to a Rs 143 crore transaction allegedly made using his PAN card. Ramraj Chaudhary, a resident of Keriakala Village in Sarwad Tehsil, claims he had no knowledge of the suspicious activity until he was served with the notice from the Income Tax Department in Ajmer.
According to Chaudhary, a company named Nitiya Exim was registered in the financial year 2020-21 using his Permanent Account Number (PAN) without his consent. An account was also allegedly opened at Kotak Mahindra Bank in Mumbai-something the farmer vehemently denies any connection to. "I've never even been to Mumbai," he stated, adding that he has never opened a bank account with Kotak Mahindra or set up any business in his name.
Speaking to local media, Chaudhary said, "I'm just a 12th-grade pass farmer. Even if I sold my entire village, I couldn't gather Rs 143 crore."
Despite his attempts to report the fraud at both the local police station and the cybercrime unit, no FIR was registered. Frustrated with the inaction, Chaudhary approached Ajmer SP Vandita Rana and submitted a formal complaint. He has also requested police protection, fearing for his safety after becoming entangled in a high-value financial fraud.
The Income Tax Department has issued him a notice demanding clarification on the massive transaction. Authorities are now expected to initiate a deeper investigation into the misuse of Chaudhary's identity and the origins of the fraudulent company.
The case has once again highlighted the vulnerabilities in India's identity verification systems and the potential for PAN card misuse by cybercriminals. Experts warn that individuals should regularly monitor their financial and tax records to detect unauthorized activities early.
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