GREATER NOIDA, Oct. 29 -- Around Rs 35 crore has allegedly gone missing from savings accounts and fixed deposits at a Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Greater Noida, prompting a police investigation and the suspension of several bank employees, including the branch manager.
The alleged irregularities came to light after several customers of the bank's Aichhar branch complained that substantial amounts had disappeared from their accounts without their knowledge or authorisation. Many claimed they had neither received transaction alerts nor signed documents permitting the transfer of funds. The complaints have raised concerns among depositors, particularly those who had deposited compensation received for land acquired by government authorities. Among the affected customers is Haneef Khan, who claimed that Rs 39 lakh had disappeared from his savings account. "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," Khan told PTI.
Another customer, Vijendra Singh, a farmer, alleged that his account balance had fallen from approximately Rs 87 lakh to Rs 88 lakh to just Rs 1 lakh. Singh said the money had been deposited after he received compensation from the authorities. A similar complaint was raised by Santosh, a 60-year-old tea and samosa vendor from Bironda village, whose account had received Rs 1.29 crore as compensation for land acquired for the Jewar Airport project. According to reports, Santosh alleged that Rs 1.18 crore was missing from her account. Her family discovered the discrepancy when her son attempted to withdraw money. Santosh and her sister subsequently sat outside the bank seeking answers about the missing funds.
Several depositors alleged that they were unaware of the disputed transactions until they visited the bank or checked their account balances. Another account holder, Zakir, claimed that Rs 9.5 lakh had disappeared from his account without any transaction notification. He said he learnt about the alleged irregularity only after visiting the branch. The complaints involve both savings accounts and fixed deposits, with customers reporting substantial reductions in balances that they believed were secure. The allegations have also raised questions about how such transactions could have been carried out without the account holders' consent and why the customers did not receive notifications. However, the exact circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the funds and the manner in which the disputed transactions were executed have not yet been established.
Following the complaints, PNB management suspended several employees, including the branch manager, as authorities began examining the alleged irregularities. Police registered a case at the Beta-2 police station, which has jurisdiction over the branch, and launched an investigation into the matter. Officials said the bank management had assured the authorities that the grievances of affected account holders would be addressed. The investigation is expected to establish how the funds were allegedly transferred or withdrawn and determine responsibility for the suspected irregularities. For several affected families, particularly those who deposited compensation received after losing their land, the missing money represented a substantial portion of their savings. The depositors are now seeking clarification from the bank and recovery of their funds, while police continue their investigation into the alleged Rs 35 crore irregularity.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.