Nearly Rs 35 Crore Allegedly Missing from PNB Accounts in Greater Noida, Five Employees Suspended

Nearly Rs 35 crore is suspected to have gone missing from savings accounts and fixed deposits at a Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Greater Noida, triggering protests by customers who allege that funds were transferred without their consent.

The alleged irregularities surfaced at the bank’s Sector Pi-1 branch after account holders noticed sharp drops in their balances and claimed that fixed deposits had been closed prematurely. Five bank employees, including the branch manager, have been suspended, while police have registered an FIR and launched an investigation.

The estimated amount of Rs 35 crore was reported by PTI, citing customers. The bank and police have not officially confirmed the total amount involved.

Customers Report Missing Savings

Several account holders gathered outside the branch on Wednesday, demanding answers and the recovery of their money. Members of a farmers’ union also staged a sit-in, while police personnel were deployed to maintain order.

According to PTI, customer Vijendra Singh alleged that his account balance had fallen from around Rs 87–88 lakh to just Rs 1 lakh.

Another account holder, Haneef Khan, claimed that Rs 39 lakh had disappeared from his savings account. He said he had neither received a transaction alert nor signed any document authorising the transfer.

A third customer, Zakir, alleged that Rs 9.5 lakh was missing from his account. He said he discovered the issue after visiting the bank.

Customers have also alleged that money was transferred to other accounts without their knowledge and that some fixed deposits were closed before maturity without their approval.

Customers Allege Delays in Accessing Account Details

Several account holders claimed that when they approached bank staff to update their passbooks or obtain transaction details, they were told that an audit by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was underway.

They alleged that these repeated delays prevented them from checking their records and identifying the suspected irregularities earlier.

FIR Filed, 18 Customers Submit Complaints

Beta-2 police have registered an FIR against PNB employees following a complaint by Shrichand, a resident of Birondi. According to the latest update, 18 customers have submitted written complaints to the police.

Sources indicated that the case could be transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for further investigation.

The probe is expected to examine how the alleged transfers took place, whether fixed deposits were closed without customers’ consent and who was responsible. PNB’s anti-corruption team is also investigating the matter.

Five Employees Suspended as Bank Begins Inquiry

PNB management has suspended five employees, including the branch manager, and replaced the staff at the branch following the complaints.

The bank has assured customers that their grievances will be addressed and efforts will be made to recover the funds.

However, the total amount involved and the number of customers affected have not been officially established. Investigations by the police and the bank are expected to determine the scale of the suspected fraud and identify those responsible.

Customers are now seeking the restoration of their savings and accountability for the alleged unauthorised transactions.