Punjab National Bank Revises Credit Card Fees and Faces ₹22-Crore Branch Fraud

Punjab National Bank (PNB) is implementing a revised credit card fee structure starting November 1, 2026, impacting ATM cash withdrawals, late payment slabs, utility bill payments, and reward point redemptions. Under the updated schedule, domestic cash withdrawals at PNB ATMs will incur a fee of 2.5 percent or Rs 400, whichever is higher, while withdrawals at other domestic or overseas bank ATMs will cost 2.5 percent or Rs 500. Additionally, utility bill payments exceeding Rs 50,000 in a billing cycle will attract a 1 percent fee capped at Rs 2,000, and reward point redemptions will now cost Rs 99 per request.

The bank has also restructured its late payment charges. Outstanding dues of Rs 500 or less remain exempt from penalties, but amounts between Rs 501 and Rs 1,000 will incur a Rs 500 fee. Higher outstanding balances will face steeper charges, scaling up to Rs 1,200 for dues exceeding Rs 50,000. Cardholders are advised to review their specific card terms and clear dues ahead of time to avoid extra costs.

In addition to the fee updates, PNB has faced scrutiny over an alleged Rs 22-crore bank fraud at its Sector Pi-1 branch in Greater Noida. The incident left multiple account holders unable to access savings, fixed deposits, and land compensation funds intended for families affected by the Jewar International Airport acquisition. Preliminary findings indicate the diverted funds were transferred to accounts in Jharkhand.

In response to the Greater Noida branch incident, PNB suspended five employees, transferred the remaining branch staff, and initiated measures to return money to affected customers. Authorities have received numerous complaints, and the bank has approached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as inquiries continue.

Meanwhile, banking operations across various institutions in India face additional legal and administrative developments, including high court rulings on loan irregularities and employee inquiries regarding regional rural bank benefits.

Financial analysts recommend that PNB cardholders carefully monitor their billing cycles and transaction amounts to adapt to the new service charges while the bank addresses its ongoing administrative and security challenges.