Punjab National Bank (PNB) is facing serious fraud allegations at its Pi-1 branch in Greater Noida, with multiple customers claiming that crores of rupees were withdrawn from their accounts without authorisation. Affected account holders have filed complaints with the police, and the bank has reportedly suspended its entire branch staff, raising urgent concerns about internal controls at the state-owned lender.

What Customers Are Alleging

According to the complainants, large sums of money vanished from their accounts — in some cases over several years — without their knowledge or consent. One account holder, Sonu, stated that approximately ₹90 lakh was missing from his account. He claimed bank officials had offered an explanation but also assured him the amount would be restored.

Another customer, Rahul, said his mother's account had allegedly seen an unauthorised withdrawal of around ₹51 lakh. He added that the account was not linked to a mobile number, which meant the family received no transaction alerts and was unable to detect the irregularity in time.

A third complainant, Sonu Sagar, alleged that his father's account, which once held around ₹88 lakh, had a balance of only approximately ₹1,290 as per a recent statement. Sagar claimed the suspected embezzlement had been ongoing for several years, not just recently. He said multiple withdrawals were made from his father's account on 6 June 2025 alone — including transactions of ₹25 lakh, ₹21 lakh, ₹20 lakh, and ₹5 lakh, alongside several other transactions.

How the Fraud Allegedly Came to Light

Customers say that when they noticed discrepancies and approached the branch, they were initially asked to return after a day or two. When they revisited, they allegedly found that senior officials were unavailable and normal banking operations had been disrupted. According to complainants, branch manager Nisha Tirkey informed customers on 26 October that the entire branch staff had been suspended — a step that, critics argue, points to acknowledgement of serious internal irregularities.

Notably, the bank had also reportedly replaced the full staff complement at the Pi-1 branch after the issue first surfaced, and assured affected customers that steps were being taken to resolve the matter.

PNB's Response

Punjab National Bank had not issued an official public statement on the allegations as of the time of reporting. The bank's silence has drawn criticism from affected depositors, who say they are being left without clear answers about their funds. This comes amid growing scrutiny of internal compliance mechanisms at public sector banks, which have faced repeated fraud-related controversies over the years.

Police Complaints and What Happens Next

Affected customers have formally lodged police complaints, and authorities are expected to investigate to ascertain the full extent of the alleged fraud. The case raises broader questions about transaction monitoring, the absence of mandatory mobile-number linking for accounts, and oversight of branch-level staff at public banks. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which regulates commercial banks, has not publicly commented on the matter.

With police now involved and branch staff reportedly suspended, investigators will likely scrutinise transaction logs and internal records going back potentially several years. The outcome of the investigation could have significant implications for affected depositors seeking recovery of their funds.