‘No locker breach’: SBI denies jewellery theft allegation by Bengaluru woman

The State Bank of India denied claims of missing valuables from a locker, stating all items were found during a police inspection.

Published on: Jun 2, 2025, 12:07:43 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Anagha Deshpande

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The State Bank of India (SBI) has refuted allegations of missing valuables from a locker at its Dollars Colony branch in Bengaluru, stating that all items reported as lost were later found during a police-led inspection.

According to SBI’s official statement, the Sadashivanagar police conducted a mahazar (panchnama) at the bank. (Representational Image) (REUTERS)

The clarification comes after a 54-year-old homemaker, Bindu CD, filed a complaint alleging that 145 grams of gold and diamond jewellery stored in her bank locker had gone missing.

The complaint prompted a police investigation and a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 305(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, pertaining to theft from a dwelling or secure place.

(Also Read: Bengaluru woman alleges gold, diamond theft from SBI locker, police book bank officials: Report )

According to SBI’s official statement, the Sadashivanagar police conducted a mahazar (panchnama) at the bank in the presence of Bindu, bank staff, and independent witnesses. During the inspection, Bindu opened her locker and found the jewellery intact. The bank said that certain items had been “inadvertently overlooked” by the complainant as they were stored deep within the locker.

The entire process was videographed by authorities to ensure transparency. Following standard procedure, the locker contents were temporarily taken into police custody, the statement said.

(Also Read: ‘ ₹2.7 lakh for 3 BHK?’: Bengaluru resident calls out sky-high rent, internet reacts )

No evidence of tampering

SBI maintained that there was no evidence of tampering, unauthorized access, or breach of protocol. “All locker access protocols and security procedures at the Dollar Colony Branch were fully operational and uncompromised at all times,” the statement added.

Earlier, Bindu had approached the bank multiple times and even escalated the issue to SBI’s chief vigilance officer after she claimed the staff had not responded adequately. After exhausting internal grievance channels, she lodged a police complaint on March 28.

(Also Read: Karnataka headmaster walks 15 km barefoot for classrooms, gets suspended: Report )

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