Investigation launched into ₹35 crore fraud scam in PNB

Questions have been raised regarding the role of other officials, including a former branch manager, in an alleged fraud case involving approximately ₹35 crore at the Punjab National Bank (PNB) Sector Pi-1 AECHR branch. According to a report by Amar Ujala, following information surfacing that funds were transferred to bank accounts in Jharkhand in this scam, account holders and farmer organisations have demanded an impartial investigation into the entire matter.

During the police investigation, it has come to light that the former branch manager is originally a resident of Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. The scope of the investigation has increased following the emergence of this detail. Account holders allege that the bank administration is ignoring the role of other officials by placing all responsibility solely on the suspended employee, Deepanshi. Account holders state that the role of all bank employees involved in this matter, including the former branch manager, must be investigated so that the complete chain of financial transactions and the alleged fraud can be brought to light.

Farmer leader Brijesh Bhati has alleged that there is an attempt to save other bank employees by taking action only against Deepanshi in this case. The bank administration has not yet clarified what investigations have been conducted at the level of the former branch manager and other officials. According to the farmer leader, most of the amount was transferred by Ashutosh Pathak. Ashutosh Pathak is also said to be a resident of Jharkhand; therefore, it is necessary to investigate all aspects related to his contacts, bank accounts, and transactions.

According to the complaint filed by the bank, the entire matter came to light on 16 September 2026. A female account holder had reached the branch with her husband and daughter to update her passbook. When the passbook was updated, three transactions were recorded that the family was unaware of. The bank has been unable to find the record of the debit vouchers for these three suspicious transactions.

When the woman requested to meet the branch head regarding this matter, they were not present at the time. It is alleged that during this period, Deepanshi attempted to convince the family that these transactions were legitimate. However, the woman's husband subsequently filed a complaint with the branch head regarding this matter. It was only after this incident that this major financial scam was exposed, and now other high-ranking bank officials have also come into the centre of the investigation.