NOIDA – Employees of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Aichhar village, Greater Noida, are under investigation after at least 16 account holders filed police complaints accusing them of embezzling fixed deposits (FDs) worth an estimated Rs 35 crore. Most of the complainants are farmers from Viroondi Chakrasenpur, Bironda, Aichhar and Site 4 areas.
Bank Takes Action
PNB has suspended five staffers, including the branch manager, and started an internal probe. The Aichhar branch has been closed since Tuesday. Several account holders, who say they lost anywhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1.2 crore, gathered outside the branch demanding their money back.
In complaints filed at the Sector Beta 2 police station, account holders alleged that bank staff closed their FDs before maturity and moved the money to other accounts without permission. Some also alleged that fraudulent withdrawals were made and that wrong entries were then recorded in their passbooks.
FIR Registered
On Wednesday, police registered an FIR against the PNB branch staffers under BNS Section 316(5), which deals with criminal breach of trust. The FIR combines all 16 complaints. It was filed after Shrichand, a resident of Viroondi Chakrasenpur village in Surajpur, alleged that Rs 1.16 crore was taken from his FD linked to his Aichhar branch account.
What the Complainants Say
Vineet Bhati of Jai Shiv Transport said Rs 25 lakh was diverted from his account. He had visited the branch for advice on mutual fund investment and signed a cheque and documents on the branch manager’s instructions. Instead of going to his savings account, the money allegedly went to another account held by a person with the same name. Staff first promised a refund within a day or two. On October 26, he was told the money would be returned only after the probe. Bhati then went to the police with a recording of his conversation with a branch employee.
Other complaints in the FIR include:
- Gautam (Sector Pi): His father had about Rs 94 lakh in the account. When Gautam tried to withdraw Rs 50,000 on October 26, only Rs 16,000 was left.
- Sanjay: An FD worth around Rs 10 lakh was allegedly closed early and transferred elsewhere.
- Hanif: About Rs 39 lakh was allegedly withdrawn.
- Kartari: Rs 98,700 and Rs 6.9 lakh were allegedly taken from two FDs.
- Amichand: Rs 10.3 lakh allegedly diverted from his FD.
- Vijay Pal and Subhash: More than Rs 1 crore each allegedly diverted.
- Santosh: About Rs 1.18 crore allegedly diverted.
- Saroj: Rs 76 lakh allegedly diverted.
- Bijendra Singh: Rs 88 lakh allegedly withdrawn, plus Rs 25 lakh from his FDs.
Protest Outside Branch
On Tuesday, many people protested outside the branch. A resident of Bironda said nearly Rs 1.2 crore had vanished from his mother’s account. She had received around Rs 1.3 crore as compensation in a Narendra Modi International Airport land deal. The family learned of the problem only when relatives warned them. He said the bank promised to return the money in 10 to 15 days, but the family will also approach the police.
Another protester claimed that all bank staff stayed away on Tuesday to avoid facing account holders.
Police and Bank Response
Additional DCP (Greater Noida) Santosh Kumar said an ACP has been directed to lead the inquiry. Police said the total amount and number of affected accounts will be known only after the investigation.
PNB’s lead bank manager for Gautam Budh Nagar, Ram Vinod Kumar, said information is being collected and action will be taken as per rules after the probe.
