Agencies | Noida:
Nearly ₹35 crore has allegedly gone missing from the savings accounts and fixed deposits of Punjab National Bank (PNB) customers in Greater Noida, with several account holders claiming that large sums were transferred or withdrawn without their authorisation and that they received no transaction alerts.
A ground report by a local news agency found that farmers from Biraundi, Aichhar and Bironda villages were among those who allegedly suffered losses ranging from lakhs to more than a crore of rupees. The alleged irregularities reportedly began in April 2025.
The complaints have triggered concerns among customers over the security of their deposits and the circumstances under which funds could allegedly be moved without their knowledge. Police have registered a case, while the bank has suspended several employees, including the branch manager, according to reports.
Sanjay Singh, an account holder who said he had received compensation from the development authority, claimed that his savings account balance had fallen sharply. According to Singh, an account that previously held around ₹87–88 lakh was now showing a balance of just ₹1 lakh.
Another customer, Haneef Khan, said ₹39 lakh held in his savings account at PNB’s Pi-1 branch in Aichhar was no longer reflected in the 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.
Zakir, another account holder, alleged that ₹9.5 lakh had gone missing from his account. He said he received no text alerts about the disputed transactions and discovered the alleged irregularity only when he visited the bank.
In another case highlighted by News18, a customer claimed that a fixed deposit worth ₹10 lakh had been closed without his knowledge. He said he had approached the bank to withdraw money for his daughter’s medical treatment, only to discover that the deposit was no longer active.
The customer said he had no information about where the money had gone and appealed to the government for assistance.
The reported cases indicate widely varying alleged losses, with some customers claiming that tens of lakhs of rupees had disappeared and others alleging losses exceeding ₹1 crore.
Customers allege SMS alerts were disabled
Several account holders have alleged that SMS alerts linked to their bank accounts were disabled before the disputed transactions took place, leaving them without notifications about activity involving their deposits.
The allegations have raised questions about how the transactions were carried out and whether adequate safeguards were in place to protect customers’ funds.
However, the circumstances surrounding the alleged disabling of alerts, the authorisation of the transactions and the possible involvement of bank personnel remain matters for investigation.
Following complaints from customers, PNB management reportedly suspended several employees, including the branch manager.
A case has been registered at the Beta-2 police station, which has jurisdiction over the branch, and the matter is under investigation. The bank has assured authorities that it will address the grievances of affected customers, according to officials.
The investigation is expected to examine the disputed transactions, the movement of funds, the role of bank employees and the extent of the alleged losses.
The exact amount involved and responsibility for the alleged irregularities have yet to be established. The claims of the affected customers remain allegations pending the outcome of the investigation.
