A major financial irregularity has emerged at a Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Greater Noida, where customers report that nearly Rs 35 crore has vanished from their savings accounts and fixed deposits. The situation has caused widespread alarm among account holders, many of whom are local farmers from villages including Biraundi, Aichhar, and Bironda. The alleged fraudulent activities are said to have commenced in April 2025, leaving several families in financial distress as they struggle to access their life savings.
Affected account holders have described a sophisticated method of exploitation, alleging that bank employees deliberately disabled SMS alert services for their accounts before the transactions occurred. By silencing these notifications, the perpetrators reportedly ensured that victims remained unaware of the unauthorized debits. Many customers stated they only became aware of the missing funds when they physically visited the bank branch for routine updates or to withdraw cash for personal emergencies, such as medical treatments.
The scale of the losses reported by individual customers varies significantly. One farmer, Vijendra Singh, reported that his savings account, which previously held a balance of approximately Rs 87 to 88 lakh, had been reduced to just Rs 1 lakh. Another customer, Haneef Khan, claimed that his account at the Pi-1 branch in Aichhar, which held Rs 39 lakh, now shows a zero balance. Similar accounts of missing funds, including one instance involving a fixed deposit of Rs 10 lakh being broken without consent, have also surfaced.
The allegations have triggered an immediate response from the banking institution’s leadership. Following a surge of formal complaints from the affected customers, PNB management took disciplinary action, suspending several employees, including the branch manager. The bank has publicly assured both the authorities and the public that it is committed to addressing these grievances and cooperating with the ongoing official investigation to determine how such unauthorized transfers could take place.
Local law enforcement authorities have confirmed that a case has been registered at the Beta-2 police station, which maintains jurisdiction over the area. Police officials stated that the investigation is currently in the primary stages, with a focus on uncovering the exact mechanisms used to bypass security protocols. Investigators are also examining the specific roles played by bank staff members and verifying the total sum of money involved in the alleged scheme.
As the investigation proceeds, many of the affected customers are calling for immediate government intervention to recover their lost funds. The case highlights significant concerns regarding digital banking security and the accountability of financial institutions in protecting individual deposits. The discovery of these irregularities has prompted calls for a broader audit of branch operations in the region to ensure that no further unauthorized activity is occurring.
The bank has not yet provided a detailed timeline for the resolution of individual claims, but officials indicated that addressing the complaints is a high priority. As the legal process moves forward, the residents of Greater Noida remain anxious for a transparent account of how their money was moved and whether the stolen funds can be recovered. For now, the branch remains under scrutiny as the police work to piece together the evidence surrounding this large-scale alleged fraud.
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