UP villager became richer than Musk with bank balance in 36 digits. How did it happen?

Ajit was sitting at his home in a village in the Hathras district on April 25 when he noticed that his bank balance showed 36 digits.

Published on: May 20, 2025, 22:33:28 IST

By HT News Desk

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A man in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras reportedly got a huge surprise last month when his bank account showed a balance greater than the net worth of the world's richest man, Elon Musk.

A UP man became the richest man on Earth last month, for some time. (Representative)

Ajit was sitting at his home in a village in the Hathras district on April 25 when he noticed that his bank balance showed 36 digits, according to an NDTV report.

The incident left Ajit in disbelief.

One day before the fateful day, his account was debited twice, first for ₹1,800 and then again for ₹1,400. Both transactions happened on the same day. But what happened the next day was the real shocker, not just for Ajit and his family but for the entire population of his remote village. His bank balance showed a whopping amount, ₹1,00,13,56,00,00,01,39,54,21,00,23,56,00,00,01,39,542.

While Ajit's family was initially happy about getting so much money, soon they all feared the same thing: that fraudsters or criminals had targeted his account. According to the NDTV report, Ajit contacted the bank to find out what exactly happened. The bank told him that the credit was a result of a technical glitch that originated in a branch of the bank in Jammu and Kashmir. He approached the cops after the same balance continued to show up.

On the advice of the police, Ajit filed an application to the Uttar Pradesh Cyber Crime division.

Richer than Elon Musk

The cybercrime division is investigating the case, and Ajit's bank account has been frozen for the time being, the report said. This is a new worry for a man who, at least according to the numbers reflected on his bank account, became, for a moment, richer than Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the official richest man on Earth.

For comparison, Musk's entire net worth in approximate value comes to ₹30,700,000,000,000, according to the Bloomberg billionaire index. That is just 14 digits, nowhere near what Ajit's bank balance displayed on that fateful day.

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HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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