Pune: Punjab National Bank manager and a jeweler have been accused of opening a customer's locker without permission and stealing valuables worth ₹2.65 crores, including gold, silver, diamonds, and cash. The stolen jewelry was allegedly melted down to destroy the evidence.
The Cantonment Police have registered a case against the culprits, which includes a high-ranking manager Nayana Ajwani at Punjab National Bank and a local jeweler Satish Punjabi.
The incident occurred between August 13 and September 6 at the Punjab National Bank branch located in Aurora Towers, Camp, Pune.
The complaint was lodged by Yash Keshavlal Kapoor, a resident of Empress Court Society, Pune, after he discovered that his locker had been illegally accessed multiple times without his knowledge.
According to the police, Yash Kapoor had stored a substantial amount of valuable items in his locker, including gold, silver, and diamond jewelry, along with ₹9.50 lakhs in cash.
On visiting the bank on September 6, Kapoor was informed that on August 13, the locker had been opened several times by bank manager Nayana Ajwani, jeweler Satish Punjabi, and others, without seeking any approval or providing any notification to Kapoor.
Further investigations revealed that the bank manager and her accomplices had violated several banking protocols. They accessed the locker through the involvement of Surender Shahani, who made multiple attempts to unlock it.
After gaining access, the contents of the locker, totaling ₹2.65 crores, were handed over to jeweler Satish Punjabi, who then melted down the valuable jewelry, effectively erasing any trace of the stolen items.
Kapoor immediately lodged a complaint at Cantonment Police Station. Following his report, police have registered a case against the bank manager, the jeweler, and others involved in the conspiracy. Assistant Police Inspector Vishal Dandge leading the investigation.
