3 HDFC Bank employees, 9 others held for trying to withdraw from NRI account

Three HDFC Bank employees and nine other people have been arrested for allegedly attempting to make an unauthorised withdrawal from a very high-value NRI account, according to Delhi Police on Tuesday. Deputy superintendent of police (cyber cell), KPS Malhotra, said that the three HDFC Bank employees were involved in issuing a cheque book, updating the mobile phone number and removing the debt freeze of the account.

Malhotra told news agency ANI that as many as 66 attempts of unauthorised online transactions were made by the group on the high-value account. “The accused had fraudulently obtained cheque book which has been recovered. Mobile phone number identical to that of account holder’s US-based phone number was also procured by the fraudsters,” he said.

“On the basis of technical evidence, footprints, and human intelligence, multiple geolocations were identified. In all, raids were conducted at 20 locations across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh,” the official added.

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The matter came to light after HDFC Bank filed a complaint with the Delhi Police cyber cell about the unauthorised attempts of withdrawal through internet banking from the NRI account.

“Further, there have been attempts to withdraw cash from the same account, using the fraudulently obtained cheque book. Attempts were also made to get update mobile phone number in the KYC of the same bank account by replacing the already registered US mobile phone number with similar/identical Indian mobile phone number,” HDFC Bank said in its complaint, according to ANI.

HDFC Bank also said that it has suspended the three arrested employees. “Basis the FIR, police has arrested suspects including bank staff. We have suspended bank staff pending outcome of the investigation. The bank is extending full support to the law enforcement agencies in the investigation,” the bank said.

The police also said there were attempts of withdrawal of money from this account in the past as well and two cases were registered in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad and Punjab’s Mohali. They are conducting more raids and an investigation into the case.

(With agency inputs)