A document that rapidly circulated on social media, purportedly a gazette notification detailing significant mergers among nine public sector banks in India, has been officially declared fake by the Centre. The clarification came via PIB Fact Check, the official fact-checking arm of the Press Information Bureau, on Wednesday.
Fake Claims Detailed
The fraudulent gazette caused considerable confusion by outlining specific amalgamation plans:
- It claimed that Indian Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, and Central Bank of India were to be acquired by State Bank of India and subsequently rebranded as SBI Group.
- Union Bank of India, Bank of India, and Punjab & Sind Bank were allegedly slated for acquisition by Punjab National Bank, retaining the Punjab National Bank identity.
- Furthermore, the document stated that Canara Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, and UCO Bank would be merged and transferred to Bank of Baroda, also adopting the Bank of Baroda name.
PIB Fact Check explicitly stated, "The document is fake and has NOT been issued by @FinMinIndia (official Finance Ministry of India handle)."
Official Advice for Citizens
Authorities have strongly advised the public to exercise caution and verify any such information exclusively through official and credible sources before believing or sharing it. To combat the spread of misinformation, citizens are encouraged to report suspicious claims allegedly issued by the Indian government.
Reports can be made to the @PIBFactCheck handle on 'X' (formerly Twitter), via mobile number +91 8799711259, or by emailing factcheck@pib.gov.in. This proactive approach aims to ensure that accurate information prevails and prevents panic or misjudgment based on false reports.