'Received No Message, Signed No Document': How PNB Customers In Greater Noida Lost Rs 35 Crore

For some customers of Punjab National Bank (PNB) in Greater Noida, years of savings appear to have vanished from their accounts. Some say they discovered the problem only when they checked their balances or tried to access their money. They now want answers from the bank.

Around Rs 35 crore is alleged to have gone missing from savings accounts and fixed deposits at a PNB branch in the Aichhar area of Greater Noida. Several customers claim they neither authorised the transactions nor received alerts informing them that their money had been moved. The allegations have prompted a police investigation and the suspension of several bank employees, including the branch manager.

For Haneef Khan, the disappearance of his savings has raised a basic question: how could money leave his account without his knowledge?

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"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.

His account is among those at the centre of the allegations against the bank. The investigation is underway, and the circumstances in which the funds allegedly disappeared have yet to be fully established.

Farmer's Account Falls From Rs 88 Lakh To Rs 1 Lakh

The alleged losses are particularly distressing for customers whose accounts held compensation paid for acquired land.

Vijendra Singh, a farmer, told reporters that his savings account had earlier held around Rs 87 lakh to Rs 88 lakh. The balance now stands at just Rs 1 lakh, he said. Singh had received compensation from the authorities. 

Another case involves a woman identified as Santosh, a 60-year-old tea and samosa vendor from Bironda village. According to The Indian Express, her account had received Rs 1.29 crore in compensation for land acquired for the Jewar Airport project. She said Rs 1.18 crore was missing when her family discovered the problem.

The money represented her entire savings, the report said. Her son learnt of the missing amount when he tried to withdraw funds. Santosh and her sister later sat outside the bank as affected customers sought answers. 

These accounts point to the scale of the distress among customers. For families who received compensation after losing land, the money can represent years of security and their ability to meet future expenses. The allegations have left them seeking clarity on what happened to their funds and whether they will get them back.

Customers Say They Received No Alerts

The complaints also raise questions about how the disputed transactions were carried out and why customers say they did not learn about them through bank alerts.

Zakir, another account holder, alleged that Rs 9.5 lakh had gone missing from his account. He said he received no text message about the transactions and learnt of the alleged fraud only after visiting the branch.

The allegations involve both savings accounts and fixed deposits. Customers have reported sharply reduced balances, with some saying that funds they expected to be available were no longer reflected in their accounts. The exact route taken by the money, however, remains unclear.

Employees Suspended, Police Probe Underway

Following the complaints, PNB management suspended several employees, including the branch manager. A case has been registered at the Beta-2 police station, which has jurisdiction over the branch.

Police said the investigation was continuing. The bank management has assured authorities that it would address the account holders' complaints, officials said.