Farmers are deeply distressed by an alleged ₹35 crore fraud at a PNB branch in Noida's Aichhar village. One farmer claims he had ₹9.4 million in his account and now has only ₹16,000 left.
9.4 million were invested, only 16,000 remain; farmers most affected by the Noida PNB scam
The case of ₹35 crore (approximately $350 million) missing from a Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, is gaining momentum. Several account holders have complained of alleged irregularities in their deposits, with farmers being the most affected. It is alleged that large sums of money from people's years of savings and fixed deposits (FDs) were transferred to other accounts without their permission.
Customers say they neither received transaction information nor timely alerts. The role of bank employees in the matter is being investigated.
Someone has Rs 39 lakh in his account, while someone else's deposit amount has reduced.
Hanif Khan, an account holder in the case, claimed that he had approximately ₹3.9 million in his account, but the amount later disappeared. He said he neither signed any documents nor received any messages from the bank regarding the transfer of funds.
Meanwhile, farmer Vijendra Singh said he previously had around 87 to 88 lakh rupees in his account, but now only has one lakh rupees left. This amount was received as compensation for his land. Another farmer claimed he had 94 lakh rupees in his bank account, but now only 16,000 rupees remain.
In another complaint, a farmer named Vineet Bhati alleged that ₹25 lakh was transferred to another account instead of being credited to his account. He has filed a complaint with the police.
Farmers most affected
The case involves the Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Aichhar village, Greater Noida . At least 16 account holders have alleged that approximately ₹35 crore (approximately ₹35 crore) was allegedly withdrawn from their fixed deposit and savings accounts or transferred to other accounts. Most of the complainants are farmers.
According to account holders, some had deposits in the lakhs, while others had more than one crore rupees with the bank. Some customers also alleged that their FDs were prematurely closed and that discrepancies were found in the information recorded in their passbooks. However, the exact amount affected in this case will only be confirmed after an investigation.
Waiting for the money back
With the branch closed since Tuesday, distressed account holders gathered outside the bank, demanding their money back. The situation is even more serious for those whose deposits were derived from land acquisition compensation. The Bharatiya Kisan Union has also demanded an impartial investigation and fears that the alleged fraud could amount to ₹130 to ₹150 crore. However, this large figure has not been officially confirmed. Police are currently investigating bank records and complaints. It remains to be determined how the funds were transferred and how many accounts were affected.
Five bank employees suspended, FIR registered.
Following the complaints, PNB suspended five employees, including the branch manager. The bank has also launched its own investigation. Police have registered an FIR and assigned officers to investigate the matter. The complaints allege breach of trust and unauthorized financial transactions.
