PNB Office Assistant Accused of Siphoning 10.24 Crore Rupees from Customer Funds

PNB Office Assistant Booked for Siphoning 10.24 Crore Rupees from Customer Accounts

Central Bureau of Investigation Initiates Inquiry

The Central Bureau of Investigation has initiated an inquiry into a financial fraud scheme involving unauthorized access to banking systems and manipulation of transaction alerts.

Unauthorized Access and Manipulation of Accounts

A 42-year-old office assistant at the bank exploited her physical access to branch infrastructure to compromise the Core Banking System credentials of six colleagues. These credentials belonged to a senior branch manager, a senior customer service associate, a customer service associate, a relationship manager, and two officer-level employees.

Senior branch manager
Senior customer service associate
Customer service associate
Relationship manager
Officer-level employee 1
Officer-level employee 2

The investigation is examining whether these individuals were aware of the breach or if their access was compromised without their knowledge. To evade detection, mobile transaction alerts on targeted savings accounts were disabled or rerouted. The scheme also involved the premature withdrawal of customer fixed deposits.

Involvement of Ashutosh Pathak

Unauthorized additions of individuals such as Ashutosh Pathak as joint account holders allowed the diversion of funds before maturity. Payout details were altered to facilitate these transfers, with the stolen money routed through accounts linked to Pradeep Kumar, Membanti Devi, Priyanka Kumari, Shanti Devi, Shalini, and Saroj Devi. Portions of the funds were later transferred to Pathak’s account, while other amounts were withdrawn in cash.

Investigators noted that Pathak’s bank account was initially opened by the suspect. During an internal bank investigation in October 2026, the suspect admitted to using colleagues’ credentials without consent and acknowledged ties to Pathak. She claimed she was under financial pressure due to a dispute between her father and Pathak, who allegedly promised to resolve a 15 to 20 lakh rupee debt in exchange for additional funds.

Internal Bank Investigation Findings

The suspect stated she borrowed 4 to 5 lakh rupees before orchestrating larger unauthorized transfers from customer accounts. The central agency continues to analyze account-opening documentation, beneficiary records, and system logs to trace the flow of funds and determine the extent of involvement by other staff members.

Ongoing Analysis and Investigation

The Central Bureau of Investigation is continuing its analysis of account-opening documentation, beneficiary records, and system logs to trace the flow of funds and determine the extent of involvement by other staff members.