Ashfaq Patel, Khandala (Mahatashtra)

Ravi Biker an entrepreneur from Srigonda town in Maharashtra was sending Rs 50,000 to his contact through a digital transaction.

However, he ended up sending the money to some other person as he had inadvertently typed the wrong mobile number while using a UPI-linked app on his phone.

In a jiffy, Rs 50,000 had vanished from his bank account and it was deposited in an account of a person unknown to Ravi Biker.

He realized that the stranger who had received money from his account could be living in any part of India and tracking him would be a waste of time.

He also wondered why a stranger would make an effort to return his money. He had lost all hope of recovering his hard-earned money till a miracle happened.

He kept checking on if the receiver would contact him. He tried to track him through his phone number and bank details.

The account was traced to Sarfraz Jamir Patel, of Kanheri village in Khandala taluka who was a student of class 11.

Sarfaraz is the son of a farmer. He lives in a joint family consisting of his parents, elder brother, uncle, aunt, and cousins.

Ravi Bikar contacted Sarfraz and told him that Rs 50,000 had been credited to his account by mistake.

Sarfaraz had opened a joint account with his father in the bank two days ago. So he was not that used to check on messages about transaction alerts from the bank.

He was a minor and hence opened an account jointly with his father. After Ravi’s call, he did check on his account and found Rs 50000 had been deposited in his account.

He told Biker on phone, 'Yes, the money appears to have been deposited in my account, and it must be yours and done by mistake.'

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Sarfraz told the bikers, 'I don't even have an ATM card because I have a new account. And since the joint account is with the father, there will be technical difficulties in sending through UPI. But if you come in person, I can immediately withdraw the money from the bank.'

Sarfaraz told his father Jamir Patel about the money. Jamirbhai told his son, 'Let us return that amount'.

Jamirbhai, asked his son to follow him to the bank to initiate the process of returning the money to its rightful owner.

Sarfraz however, told his father that he had already asked Biker to come to their village to collect his money. The father said, 'He must be already worried because such a large amount has gone into someone else's account by mistake. Instead of calling him here, let us go to the bank and send this amount to his account through NEFT (National Electronic Fund Transfer). This will give him immediate access to his money and ease worries.' 

It was done, to the pleasant surprise and relief of Biker.

Jamirbhai does not think that he had done some great work. The father-son duo considers it their 'duty'.

Their philosophy is 'Haram ki halwa purise, halal chutney roti better'(Roti-chutney from money earned through the right means is better than halwa cooked with illegitimate money).

Jamirbhai says these actions come from their 'sanskar and religious attitude.” He says his had always instilled honesty in his children’s character as was done by his ancestors.

He says once Sarfaraz had recharged his mobile for Rs 200.The shopkeeper while returning the money had returned excess amount. Sarfaraz returned him through the shopkeeper was not sure .

On the other side, Ravi Bykar says “'There is only one digit difference between the mobile number of the person I was going to send the money to and that of Sarfaraz. That's why there was a mistake while transferring the amount. But immediately after noticing it, I called Sarfaraz. Without any hesitation, he said that the money had been deposited and he would return it immediately as soon as his father comes home.

“After some time I got a call from Jamirbhai; he informed me that he would send me the money through NEFT. An amount of Rs 50,000 was at stake.'

Baikar said, 'The honesty and cooperation of Sarfraz and Jamirbhai cannot be overstated. I got to experience firsthand that Hindus and Muslims are brothers, running to each other's aid. I am going to visit them to thank them personally'

Sarfaraz and Jamirbhai's sincerity in understanding 'duty' is widely appreciated. On this occasion Vijay Pisal of Khandala Police Department, Police Patil Imran Mulla felicitated him.