PNB returns around Rs 8 crore out of Rs 10 crore to Customers affected in Greater Noida Scam

In the Greater Noida Fraud, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has so far disbursed 7.80 crore rupees to 16 affected account holders following an initial verification. Out of Rs 10.24 crore, the bank has returned Rs 7.80 crore to the customers. The remaining customers will also get their funds back soon.

Sector Beta-2 police confirmed that the refund process is currently underway, with 42 remaining claims under active scrutiny out of a total of 58 claims received by the bank. Senior officials said that audit teams are reviewing three years of financial transactions, records, and vouchers, and the total embezzled sum will be established once the full audit report is submitted.

​A review of approximately one month of security camera footage revealed that the prime accused, identified as bank employee Deepanshi, repeatedly accessed workstations left unattended by colleagues. The footage showed her operating keyboards and viewing monitors at empty desks before leaving within seconds. Bank authorities suspect she exploited the login credentials of other personnel to carry out unauthorized transactions, and this video evidence has been submitted to investigators. The bank has also notified customers that anyone who notices fraudulent debits in their accounts can lodge a formal claim for verification and reimbursement.

​Investigators discovered that the fraudulent activity extended beyond regular savings accounts to term deposits. Records shared with the agency show that 49 fixed deposits were closed prematurely after unauthorised modifications. The names of Ashutosh Kumar Pathak and other unidentified individuals were added as joint account holders on existing fixed deposits. The settlement accounts were subsequently modified to route the proceeds directly to suspected beneficiaries. Several transaction vouchers and records were found missing from the branch, while mobile transaction alerts were disabled on select accounts to prevent holders from receiving real-time notices.

​Investigators allege that Deepanshi opened an account in her partner’s name and directed the bulk of the misappropriated funds into it. The complaint filed by PNB Chief Manager Ajay Kumar Pandey names multiple branch officials, including Senior Branch Manager Nisha Tirkey, Senior Customer Service Associate Sandeep Prakash Sharma, Customer Service Associates Meenakshi and Satish Kumar, RM Shailendra Kumar, and Officer Lovely Jain. Two separate cases have been registered by Sector Beta-2 police and the central agency.

In the latest update, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has arrested Office Assistant/Sub Staff of Punjab National Bank (PNB) Pi Branch, Greater Noida, U.P., and a private person in the Rs. 10.24 Crore Greater Noida PNB Fraud case. According to the available information, a female subordinate staff member is allegedly involved in the fraud. She reportedly belongs to the same village as many of the customers and knows them well. Her name is Deepanshi. She is a young girl aged 28 years and was hired by the bank in 2021. She works as an Office Assistant in PNB Sector-PI branch.