Bank Managers arrested in Rs.182 crore Fraud in Gujarat

In Gujarat's Kutch, a significant cyber fraud case has been detected. In a false account scam involving a cyber fraud of Rs 182,36,68,862 through 81 bank accounts, bank administrators of HDFC and Jana bank branches in Kutch have been taken into custody. 

Yasin Sayecha (27), agency manager, HDFC Bank Kandla zone branch; Hitesh Kapta (38), manager, Jana Bank Gandhidham branch; and Chandan Kapadia (41), manager, HDFC Bank Kandla zone branch, have been named as the individuals detained. Dipak Sharma, an elderly man who was one of the accused, is still at large.

These people allegedly helped open third-party savings accounts and current accounts under false names. They were compensated by fraudsters with commissions and by banks with incentives to register new accounts. 

Additionally, they assisted scammers in unfreezing accounts that had been frozen in response to complaints made to the cybercrime helpline (1930). The cybercrime police station in East Kutch, Gandhidham, discovered a large-scale cyberfraud scheme two weeks ago that used a network of fictitious bank accounts and shell companies. Bhuj IG Chirag Koradiya and SP Sagar Bagmar oversaw the operation.

The racket functioned as a commission-based network, where associates earned varying commissions for each bank account used to transfer or route fraudulently obtained funds. This structure enabled scammers across the country to deposit and move money through accounts controlled from Kutch.

The police also found that there were 74 complaints registered against the bank accounts illegally operated by the accused persons across five banks. These complaints were from victims across West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Telangana.

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What is the IDFC First Bank Rs 590 crore fraud case?

A significant scam involving Rs. 590 crore has been revealed at the IDFC First Bank branch in Chandigarh. 

According to allegations, several bank workers at the Chandigarh branch engaged in fraudulent operations involving Rs 590 crore from accounts connected to the government of Haryana. 

An inquiry is still underway, and four bank employees have been suspended. In compliance with existing legislation, the bank said that it will take severe disciplinary, civil, and criminal action against the employees and other external parties involved. 

According to the statement, "the Bank has sent recall requests to specific beneficiary banks to lien mark balance in suspicious accounts held in these banks." The bank is currently hiring a third-party, independent organization to carry out a forensic audit.

After the bank was asked by the Haryana government to close its account and move the money to another bank, the fraud was discovered. During the process, certain differences between the amount stated and the account balance were noticed. 

Starting on February 18, 2026, some government agencies in Haryana contacted the bank about their individual accounts. Disparities between the account balances reported by the government agencies and those held with the bank were discovered during this process. 

The bank has highlighted, however, that the fraudulent actions were limited to a particular set of government-linked accounts inside the Haryana Government that were handled through the aforementioned Chandigarh branch and did not affect other Chandigarh Branch customers.

Actions taken by IDFC First Bank in Chandigarh Fraud

• Four suspected officials have been placed under suspension pending investigation. The Bank will pursue strict disciplinary, civil and criminal action against the employees and other external individuals responsible, in accordance with applicable law.
• A meeting of the Special Committee of the Board for Monitoring and Follow-up of Cases of Frauds (SCBMF) was convened on February 20, 2026 and the matter was placed before the Committee.
• The meeting of the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors were convened on February 21, 2026 to apprise on the matter.
• The Bank is in the process of appointing an independent external agency to conduct an independent Forensic Audit.
• The statutory auditors have been informed.
• The Bank has filed a complaint with the Police authorities and will extend full cooperation to the investigating agencies.
• The Bank has sent recall request to certain beneficiary banks to lien mark balance in suspicious accounts held in these banks.

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Court Case filed against PSU Bank Zonal Manager Mumbai for arbitrary transfer of officers

The Mumbai-based All India Bank of Baroda Officers' Union has voiced its opposition to the capricious staff transfers. According to sources, the Mumbai Zonal Manager moved a number of employees from one area to another in the middle of the school year, citing "administrative exigencies." Due to their sudden relocation from one area to another in the middle of the academic year, this has caused a number of problems for the officers. After being relocated, an officer must look for a rental property, a school to send their child to, and a reputable physician (if they have any health concerns).

The union raised its voice against this, but the Zonal Manager, Mumbai, stated that all transfers are within the city and therefore do not require prior approval from CGM (HR). However, Clause 7.1(a) of the Transfer Policy clearly stipulates that the criteria for transfers shall be “longest stay.” Contrary to this mandate, officers with the shortest stay have been transferred by bypassing several officers with the longest stay, thereby amounting to deliberate insubordination of Board-approved policy.

Moreover, the Vice President of the union questioned the Mumbai Zonal HR, in the presence of ALC (C), Mumbai, regarding the practice of referring medical cases to empanelled doctors instead of subjecting them to a legally constituted Medical Board. Immediately thereafter, he was transferred from MMSR to MWR. In an apparent attempt to generalise and camouflage the vindictive nature of this transfer, several other officers were also transferred.

The union took up the matter with several authorities but failed to receive any response from GM (HR) and CGM (HR). Finally, a case has been filed against the Zonal Manager, Mumbai, before the Hon’ble High Court. Despite this, the ZM, Mumbai, proceeded with further inter-regional transfers.

In another instance, an officer in MMSR who had been deputed to the Service Branch for more than five months on oral instructions questioned the management and requested written orders. On 5th February, he was issued a confirmation order with retrospective effect, and on the very next day, i.e., 6th February, he was transferred to Navi Mumbai. In several such cases, the transferred officers are eligible for IZT during the current year, and dislocating them at this stage causes avoidable disturbance and hardship.

It is unfortunate that though these violations are occurring in Mumbai, and despite bringing them to the notice of GM (HR) and CGM (HR), no action has been initiated against the erring officials who are deliberately defying your circular instructions.

The matter requires urgent attention from the top management. Transfers carried out in deviation of the approved policy not only cause personal hardship to officers but also create unrest within the organisation. The concerns raised by the union regarding arbitrary transfers, violation of the “longest stay” principle, and alleged vindictive actions must be examined fairly and transparently.

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Financial Results of Banks for Q3FY26

 

The public sector and private sector banks have released the financial results for Q3FY26. 

Public Sector Bank

Bank	Results
Bank of India (BoI)	Click Here
Punjab & Sind Bank	Click Here
Central Bank of India	Click Here
Union Bank of India	Click Here
Indian Overseas Bank	Click Here
Bank of Maharashtra	Click Here
State Bank of India (SBI)	Click Here
Punjab National Bank (PNB)	Click Here
Bank of Baroda (BoB)	Click Here
Canara Bank	Click Here
Indian Bank	Click Here
UCO Bank	Click Here

Private Banks

Bank	Results
IDBI Bank	Click Here
Kotak Mahindra Bank	Click Here
IDFC First Bank	Click Here
HDFC Bank	Click Here
ICICI Bank	Click Here
Indusind Bank	Click Here
Axis Bank	Click Here

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Bank not responsible for customer’s negligence in Digital Fraud

Regarding internet fraud, the Uttarakhand State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has rendered a significant ruling. 

According to the commission, the bank or digital payment platform cannot be held accountable if the customer's own carelessness results in fraud in an online transaction. 

The decision was made in a case involving Haridwar resident Sachin Kumar. According to Sachin, he tried to move Rs 25,000 from his Google Pay account on November 26 but the transaction was unsuccessful. 

But he said the money was taken out of his bank account. Sachin claimed that after receiving some dubious communications, money was taken out of his account several times over the course of the following two days.

This resulted in a total of Rs 1,06,500 being debited from his bank account. Sachin said he filed a complaint with his bank (Punjab National Bank), but when he didn’t receive a satisfactory response, he filed a case with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

The Commission held that the bank was at fault and ordered it to refund the amount to Sachin. However, the bank appealed the decision with the State Consumer Commission. During the hearing at the State Consumer Commission, it emerged that all the transactions were made using the customer’s own mobile phone.

The Commission stated in its order that “the security of the mobile phone, OTP, password, and UPI PIN is entirely the consumer’s responsibility. If someone fails to protect these details, the bank or digital app cannot be held responsible.”

The Commission also clarified that no transaction is possible on digital platforms like Google Pay without entering the correct UPI PIN. In such a case, the transaction will be deemed to have been made with the customer’s knowledge. The Commission, while setting aside the District Consumer Commission’s order, stated that the evidence and facts were not properly evaluated in the case.

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India has released a new guideline for digital frauds. RBI plans to provide compensation to victims upto Rs.25,000. This may prove to be a big relief for victims of Digital Frauds.

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RBI Issues Strict Guidelines on Bank Misselling: No Bank Employee Incentives, No Calls After 6 PM

Strict restrictions have been established by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to prevent banks from misselling third-party products. Additionally, the RBI has stated that bank employees shouldn't receive incentives. 

Mis-selling: What is it? 

According to the RBI, mis-selling is defined as: 

1. Selling a product or service that is inappropriate or unsuitable for the customer's profile, even if the customer has given their express assent; 

2. Selling a product or service without supplying accurate or comprehensive information, or by providing misleading information;

3. Selling a product or service without the express approval of the customer; 

4. Selling a desired product or service while forcing the sale of another product or service; 

5. Selling a product or service that includes any additional elements deemed to be mis-selling by the relevant financial sector regulator.

Third-party Financial Product or Service is a product or service offered by a bank to its customers on behalf of a third party company such as selling insurance on behalf of an insurance company.

Guidelines for DSA

A bank, availing the services of DSAs / DMAs, shall maintain an up-to-date list of DSAs / DMAs empanelled / engaged with it. Such list shall include the name and other details of the DSAs / DMAs, the period of engagement, etc. Further, an updated list of such DSAs / DMAs shall be displayed on the bank’s website for reference by the members of public.

A bank shall ensure that its employees or DSAs / DMAs:

1. make telephonic contacts and / or visits to customers normally between 09:00 hours and 18:00 hours. Calls / visits earlier or later than the prescribed time period shall be done only when the customer has expressly given a request or authorisation to do so;
2. do not call a customer regarding products already sold to him / her and if a customer calls for any such product, advise him / her to contact the customer service staff of the bank and provide the contact details.

No Incentive

A bank shall ensure that its policies and practices (e.g., organizing competitions among business units for sale of products / services, earmarking specific days of the week / month for targeted selling of particular products / services, etc.) neither create incentives for mis-selling nor encourage employees / DSAs to ‘push’ the sale of products / services. It shall be ensured specifically that no incentive is directly / indirectly received by the employees engaged in marketing / sales of third-party products / services from the third-party.

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State Bank of India (SBI) Q3 net profit jumps 24%

State Bank of India (SBI) reported a 24% year-on-year record (all-time high) standalone net profit of Rs 21,028 crore for the December quarter of FY26, reflecting steady growth in core income and recovery trends.

On a consolidated basis, the state-owned lender posted a 13.06 per cent rise in profit to Rs 21,317 crore during the quarter, according to a regulatory filing, PTI reported.

The bank’s standalone net interest income (NII) rose 9.04 per cent year-on-year to Rs 45,190 crore from Rs 41,446 crore in the corresponding period last year. The growth was supported by 15.14 per cent loan expansion, even as domestic net interest margin saw a marginal compression of 0.03 per cent to 3.12 per cent.

Non-interest income increased 15.65 per cent to Rs 8,404 crore during the quarter. Meanwhile, total expenses rose to Rs 1,08,052 crore compared with Rs 1,04,917 crore in Q3 FY25. The bank’s net interest margin (NIM) stood at 2.99% in Q3FY26, while domestic NIM was 3.12%. For the nine months ended December 2025, domestic NIM was recorded at 3.08%.

Deposit growth stood at 9.02 per cent during the October–December period.Fresh slippages were reported at Rs 4,458 crore, higher than Rs 3,823 crore in the year-ago period.

On asset quality, the gross non-performing assets (GNPA) ratio improved to 1.57 per cent as of December 31, 2025, compared with 1.73 per cent at the end of September. Total provisions rose to Rs 4,507 crore against Rs 911 crore in the year-ago period.

Provision coverage ratio (PCR), including AUCA, stood at 92.37%, while PCR excluding AUCA was 75.54%. The slippage ratio remained contained at 0.40%, and credit cost stood at 0.29%, as per ET report. On the balance sheet front, SBI’s total business crossed Rs 103 lakh crore. Deposits exceeded Rs 57 lakh crore, while advances crossed Rs 46 lakh crore.

The bank’s overall capital adequacy ratio stood at 14.04 per cent as of December 31, 2025, with core capital buffer at 10.99 per cent.

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Bank of Baroda Q3 Results: Profit rises

State-run lender Bank of Baroda posted a stable set of numbers for the December quarter, marked by modest profit growth, resilient asset quality metrics and loan book expansion that came in above management guidance.

Net profit rose 4.5% year-on-year to Rs.5,054 crore, compared with Rs.4,837 crore in the same quarter last year. Net interest income remained largely flat at Rs.11,800 crore, up marginally from Rs.11,786 crore a year ago.

Asset quality continued to improve, with gross non-performing assets easing to 2.04% from 2.16% sequentially. Net NPA stood unchanged at 0.57% quarter-on-quarter.

Collection efficiency, excluding agriculture, remained strong at 98.63% as of December 2025. Provision coverage ratio under NCLT accounts was reported at a healthy 99.66%.Segment-wise asset quality remained comfortable, with gross NPA ratios at 1.19% for housing loans (ex-pool), 1.75% for auto loans (ex-pool), 4.42% for personal loans and 0.56% for retail gold loans.

The bank’s loan book grew 14.6% year-on-year to Rs.13.43 lakh crore, exceeding management’s guidance of 11–13% growth. Sequentially, advances rose 5.1%. Domestic advances increased 13.54% year-on-year to ₹10.95 lakh crore. Deposits also grew 10.3% year-on-year to Rs.15.46 lakh crore during the quarter.

Bank of Baroda continued to exceed regulatory norms under priority sector lending, with total priority sector advances at 40.45% of adjusted net bank credit. Agriculture, small and marginal farmers, weaker sections and micro enterprises lending all stood above mandated thresholds.

The bank’s card business also showed steady traction. Active BOB Cards increased to 30.68 lakh as of December 31, 2025, while card spends for the first nine months of FY26 rose 17.3% year-on-year to Rs.31,101 crore.

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BOI and Union Bank of India Latest Merger News

The government is apparently considering a massive merger between Union Bank of India (UBI) and Bank of India (BoI), one of the biggest advances in India's banking industry. This action is a component of the larger "Merger 2.0" effort, which aims to create public sector banks (PSBs) that are stronger, smaller, and more globally competitive. 

With a network of more than 12,000 branches across the country and assets potentially topping ₹25 lakh crore, the combined company would rank among India's biggest public sector banks if the merger proceeds. According to analysts, this consolidation might benefit around 25–30 crore clients, making it a significant force in India's banking industry.

Why “Merger 2.0” Matters

The government’s push for PSB consolidation is driven by several goals:

1. Global Competitiveness – Creating banks large enough to compete with international lenders.

2. Operational Efficiency – Streamlining processes and reducing non-performing assets (NPAs).

3. Credit Capacity – Strengthening the ability to fund large infrastructure projects and support MSMEs.

4. Financial Stability – Reducing fragmentation among PSBs and building stronger balance sheets.

Other Banks on the Watchlist

Union Bank and BoI are not the only institutions under consideration. Other PSBs frequently mentioned for potential future mergers include:

• Indian Overseas Bank (IOB)

• Central Bank of India

• UCO Bank

• Bank of Maharashtra

• Punjab & Sind Bank

The goal is to reduce the total number of PSBs from 12 to 4–5 large, efficient banks, capable of competing at a global level.

While official approvals are still pending, account holders should be aware of potential changes:

IFSC codes, chequebooks, and banking apps may be updated.

Enhanced digital banking services are likely after consolidation.

Broader branch networks and improved credit access for individuals and businesses.

The government emphasizes that these mergers aim to benefit customers with better service, stronger security, and more financial options.

Sources indicate that internal due diligence is underway, with a tentative target to complete operational integration by December 2026 or early FY 2026-27. However, formal notifications are still awaited from the Finance Ministry.

If implemented, the Union Bank–BoI merger would be one of the most impactful banking consolidations in India in decades, marking a bold step in the government’s strategy to modernize and strengthen public sector banks.

Stay tuned for official updates, which are expected around the Union Budget 2026 announcements on February 1, 2026.

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IDFC First Bank Q3 Net profit jumps 48% YoY

IDFC First Bank announced its October to December quarter results for the financial year ending 2025-26 on Saturday, 31 January 2026. The company recorded a 48% rise in its standalone net profits to Rs.502 crore, compared to Rs.339 crore in the same quarter of the previous financial year.

company's interest income rose 11% to Rs.10,417 crore for the October to December quarter of the fiscal year ending 2025-26, compared to Rs.9,343 crore in the same period a year ago.IDFC First Bank's income from other operations witnessed a 19% increase to Rs.2,125 crore in the third quarter, compared to Rs.1,779 crore in the same period a year ago.

The institutional lender's total expenses for the October to December quarter witnessed a 12% rise to Rs.10,508 crore, compared to Rs.9,363 crore in the same period of the previous financial year, according to the standalone statements.IDFC First Bank's non-performing assets portion witnessed a 25 basis point fall to 1.69% in the October to December quarter, compared to 1.94% of the same period of the previous financial year, according to the company's stock exchange filings.

Although the overall gross NPA dropped, the net NPA rose 1 basis point to 0.53%, compared to 0.52% in the same period of the previous quarter, the filings showed.The company's retail banking segment, along with the wholesale banking and treasury operations, contributed the most to the rising income for the quarter.

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