India's most bank lockers' theft occurred in Delhi; FM

New Delhi, Aug 17 (UNI) Of the total 18 bank lockers found tampered with across the country in the last three years, 16 cases occurred in the national capital.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram today stated this in the Lok Sabha in reply to a query by Mr Adhir Chowdhury and Mr Nikhil Kumar during Question Hour.

All the 16 lockers found tampered with in Delhi belonged to Nauroji Nagar branch of Punjab National Bank, the Minister said, adding 12 claimants had been paid a compensation of Rs 68.34 lakh.

Three customers said their lockers were empty and hence did not seek any compensation but one could not be traced.

One each of the remaining two cases of lockers' tampering in West Bengal took place in a Allahabad Bank branch in Garia district and State Bank of India at New Ballygunj, Mr Chidamabaram said.

He said besides tampering with lockers, valuables from six lockers of State Bank of India's Malviya Nagar branch in Delhi were also found missing.

Regarding Delhi's PNB's case, the Minister said one peon of the bank along with two outsiders were involved in the case. Besides, the police case against the peon, the bank had suspended him and a departmental proceedings launched. Disciplinary action against four officials of the bank had also been initiated for non-compliance with the banks' systems and procedures, he said, adding no staff involvement was found in the remaining two banks.

UNI