Imagine finding a dusty old document at home, only to realize it could make you a fortune overnight. That’s exactly what happened to Rattan Dhillon, a Chandigarh man who stumbled upon 30 physical shares of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) dating back to 1988. Initially, he had no idea about their value and turned to social media for help.
A Small Investment Turns Into a Big Fortune
Dhillon posted images of his physical share certificates on X (formerly Twitter), seeking advice from netizens as he lacked knowledge of the stock market. The online community jumped in, running calculations that revealed just how much these shares had grown in value over the years.
Thanks to multiple stock splits and bonus shares issued by RIL, his original 30 shares had multiplied into 960. Their estimated worth today? Nearly ₹12 lakh. What seemed like a forgotten piece of paper turned out to be a jackpot.
A Bureaucratic Nightmare
But just when things seemed to be turning in his favor, Dhillon hit a major roadblock. Converting these old physical shares into digital form and claiming their value turned out to be a lengthy, tedious process. Just obtaining a legal heir certificate would take anywhere from six to eight months—and that was only the first step.
The complete verification and transfer process through the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) could take up to three years due to legal formalities and bureaucratic red tape. Frustrated by the daunting timeline and complex procedures, Dhillon ultimately decided to walk away from the claim, leaving behind what was rightfully his.
