PNB to hire detectives to hunt down fraudsters

Fraud-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB) has invited applications for empanelment of detective agencies to locate its untraceable borrowers as it looks to "significantly" supplement efforts to recover bad loans that surged to Rs 57,519 crore at December end.

In its efforts to recover NPAs, PNB has also resorted to 'Gandhigiri' wherein its staff hope to 'name and shame' defaulting borrowers to recover up to Rs 150 crore worth bad loans every month.

The bank has been at the receiving end of the over Rs 13,000 crore fraud involving diamond merchants Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. PNB on Wednesday invited applications to empanel detective agencies with an aim to "significantly supplement efforts of the field officials in recovering bank's dues in NPA accounts by utilising services of the detective agencies", it said.

Interested parties have been asked to file applications and relevant documents by May 5. All NPA accounts (sub-standard, doubtful and loss category would be allocated to detective agencies for gathering information required by the bank.

Services of detectives will be hired to locate the borrower(s) /co-borrower(s)/guarantor(s)/ mortgagor(s), (in/outside India) including their legal heirs who are either untraceable or not available at the addresses given in bank's records.

The selected agencies will have to ascertain latest information about defaulters present address, occupation, business, income streams, details of their all assets, among other things.