PNB said Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd misappropriated bank funds and manipulated its books of accounts to raise funds from consortium lender banks
PSU banking major Punjab National Bank (PNB) tanked over 9 percent intraday on July 8 after it detected an alleged fraud of more than Rs 3,800 crore by Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd (BPSL) and reported it to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
PNB said Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd misappropriated bank funds and manipulated its books of accounts to raise funds from consortium lender banks.
“On the basis of forensic audit investigation findings and CBI filing FIR, on suo moto basis, against the company and its directors, alleging diversion of funds from banking system, a fraud of Rs 3,805.15 crore is being reported by bank to RBI,” Punjab National Bank (PNB) said in a regulatory filing.
“It has been observed that the company has misappropriated bank funds, manipulated books of accounts to raise funds from consortium lender banks. At present, the case is at NCLT which is in advance stage and the Bank expects good recovery in the account,” PNB added.
PNB said its domestic exposure to Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd (BPSL) stood at Rs 3,191.51 crore and overseas exposure at $49.71 million (approx Rs 345.74 crore) at Dubai branch and $38.51 million (approx. Rs.267.90 crore) at Hong Kong branch.
The stock is already down over 20 percent in the last three months. At 10:30 hours, Punjab National Bank was quoting at Rs 74.30, down Rs 7.45, or 9.11 percent. It has touched an intraday high of Rs 77.85 and an intraday low of Rs 73.30.