A major bank fraud case has come to light at Punjab National Bank (PNB) in Greater Noida, where customers have alleged that nearly Rs 35 crore went missing from their savings accounts and fixed deposits. Several account holders claimed that they neither authorised the transactions nor received alerts about the alleged fund transfers.
Following the complaints, the bank management suspended several employees, including the branch manager, and a case was registered at the Beta-2 police station, which has jurisdiction over the branch. The bank management assured the authorities that it would address the customers’ complaints, PTI reported.
The alleged fraud came to light after customers noticed significant drops in their account balances. Some also claimed that their fixed deposits had been closed before maturity without their consent.
From Rs 87 lakh To Rs 1 lakh: PNB customers allege fraud
Vijendra Singh, one of the affected customers, claimed that his savings account, which earlier held around Rs 87-88 lakh, now showed a balance of just Rs 1 lakh. Singh said he was a farmer and had received compensation from the authority.
Another customer, Haneef Khan, said his savings account at the same branch had a balance of Rs 39 lakh, but the money was now missing.
“My savings account had Rs 39 lakh, but now nothing is showing in it. I neither received any message nor signed any document authorising the transfer of funds,” he told PTI.
Zakir, another account holder, claimed that he had Rs 9.5 lakh in his account but received no text message from the bank regarding the transactions. He said he discovered the alleged fraud only after visiting the branch.
The customer alleges Rs 25 lakh was transferred without consent.
Vineet Bhati, a resident of Aichhar, lodged a complaint at the police station on Tuesday, seeking the return of Rs 25 lakh and an investigation into the role of bank employees. He said he runs a firm called Jai Shiv Transport and maintains a current account with the bank.
Bhati told Jagran.com that he had approached bank employees to invest in mutual funds and signed cheques and other documents at the manager's behest. However, he alleged that the funds were transferred to another account instead of his savings account.
According to Bhati, the account was listed in his name but did not belong to him. After discovering the transactions, he visited the bank and demanded a refund. The employees initially assured him that the money would be returned within a day or two but later said the refund would be processed after an investigation.
Bhati also claimed to have a recording of his conversation with a female bank employee.
Customers allege fixed deposits were closed
Another account holder alleged that his fixed deposit worth Rs 15 lakh had been depleted. Sanjay, another customer, claimed that an FD worth approximately Rs 1 crore had been prematurely closed and the money transferred to another account.
According to Jagran.com, complaints received so far indicate that the total alleged embezzlement could amount to around Rs 35 crore. However, the total amount involved and the number of affected accounts have not yet been officially confirmed.
ALSO READ: Rs 48,000 Crore, Over 10,000 Cases; What RBI Data Revealed About Financial Fraud In FY26
The Central Bureau of Investigation is also investigation into the matter and PNB is also conducting an internal probe. New staff members have been deployed at the branch, and further investigation into the alleged fraud is underway.