Forensic audit found Rs 3,800 crore fraud, says Punjab National Bank

Mumbai: The Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Saturday said it had reported a borrowing fraud of Rs 3,805 crore (USD 556 million) in Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd's account to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The fraud, "alleging diversion of funds from the banking system" was being reported to the RBI on the basis of the findings of forensic audit and the police filing a first information report, the PNB said in a statement to stock exchanges.

"It has been observed that the company has misappropriated bank funds, manipulated books of accounts to raise funds from consortium lender banks," the PNB said, adding that it had already made provisions of Rs 1,932 crore in Bhushan's account.

The PNB has been defrauded of over Rs 13,000 crore in a separate scam that came to light last year.

Bhushan Power and Steel, one of the most indebted companies in the country, was among the first 12 companies referred by the RBI to a bankruptcy court for a debt resolution process under the new insolvency law.

The company could not be reached for comment on the PNB statement.