Punjab National Bank posts Rs 940 crore loss for first-quarter on fraud-related provisions
FirstpostPNB in February said it had been defrauded by two jewellery groups that raised more than $2 billion credit overseas using fake guarantees. Troubled Punjab National Bank reported its second consecutive quarter of loss, as the country’s second-biggest state-run lender set aside more funds for a massive fraud it disclosed earlier in the year. Mumbai-traded PNB, the fourth-biggest bank by assets among all of India’s lenders, in February said it had been defrauded by two jewellery groups that raised more than Rs 13,700 crore in credit overseas using fake guarantees provided by the bank’s staff at a Mumbai branch - the Brady House branch in south Mumbai. The statement to the exchanges said: “…During the quarter ended 31st March 2018, a fraud was detected at [the> Brady house Mumbai branch involving certain accounts under [the> gems & jewellery sector amounting to Rs 14,356.84 crore wherein [the> RBI vide their letter no. 8720/21.04.132/2017-18 dated 28.03.2018 had given dispensation to the Bank to make provisions against the fraud at 25 percent without debiting ‘other reserves’ in the quarter ended 31 March 2018 and to provide remaining amount during first three quarters of the ensuing financial year.