Exclusive: IOB's Confidential Disciplinary File Exposes Assistant Manager’s Claim of Abuse by Senior Management

Kanal Media has obtained confidential, internal documents from Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) that detail disciplinary proceedings against an Assistant Manager (on Probation) (under Suspension). The documents, including a Memorandum of Allegations and Articles of Charge, reveal a high-stakes confrontation where the 27-year-old allegedly faced verbal abuse from top officials and chose to record the incident, an act he claims was necessary for self-preservation.

The case, which centers on events at the Seoni Branch on July 25, 2025, has been framed by the bank as one of “misconduct and indiscipline behaviour” by Assistant Branch Manager. However, an analysis of the evidence compiled by the bank itself raises questions about whether the junior employee became a target after challenging the authority of senior management.

The Allegations: Insult, Recording, and a Police Complaint
The disciplinary file outlines the management's version of the incident, which occurred during an official visit by General Manager Mr. Sanjay Kumar Singh and Chief Manager Mr. Arteshwaram.

The Management's Claims (Accusations Against Assistant Branch Manager):
-Responding "casually and rudely" when given guidance on business.
-Making disrespectful remarks to the General Manager, including the reported phrase, "Tumhare paas dimag nahi hai" (You have no sense).
-Taking out a mobile phone and recording the interaction without permission, and refusing instructions to stop.
-Leaving the branch without permission and lodging a "fabricated/false police complaint of physical assault" at Kotwali Police Station.

Assistant Branch Manager's Defense: An Act of Self-Preservation
The same confidential documents also contain the written statement of Assistant Branch Manager, dated July 30, 2025. This document forms the basis of his defense, painting a picture of a hostile and abusive work environment.

Assistant Branch Manager's Claims (The Alleged Victim's Account):
-He claims that while trying to explain his work, he was subjected to "humiliation and insulted" by the Chief Manager and other seniors.
-He recorded the video interaction "to keep evidence" of the incident.
-He explicitly describes himself as a "victim of misbehavior" from his seniors, suggesting the recording was a necessary measure to document workplace abuse.
-He registered 15+ complaints on the staff portal which went unaddressed and the bank was served notices and reminders from the National Commission itself to enquire into the subject but the bank has failed to provide a reply to the same.

In this context, Assistant Branch Manager's subsequent action, filing a police complaint, is presented in the documents as a serious, formal challenge to the bank's most senior regional officers, an action the bank is now using to justify his ongoing suspension and disciplinary inquiry.

Bank Compiling Extensive Evidence, Including Social Media Posts
The management is relying on 18 documents and seven witnesses to pursue the disciplinary case against the young banker, who has just over one year of total service.

The documents reveal the extreme length to which the bank is going to build its case, including the compilation of evidence that extends beyond the initial incident:
-Social Media Scrutiny: The evidence list includes "Screen shots of Facebook post" dated April 26, 2025, and "Screen Shots of Twitter Post" by external handles (@Nitin Tyagi & @IndianBankerol). These posts allegedly attached an internal explanation letter shared by the Assistant Branch Manager. The inclusion of private social media activity suggests a broader campaign to find grounds for dismissal, moving beyond the July 25 confrontation.

-Prior Punishment Cited: The file also highlights that Assistant Branch Manager was already punished on July 15, 2025 (ten days before the confrontation), with the withholding of a pay increment for one year. This pre-existing disciplinary history is being used to characterise his conduct as part of a pattern of indiscipline, lending credence to the argument that he was an ongoing target of management pressure.

The inquiry, which will rely heavily on the statements of the General Manager, Chief Manager, and five other staff members, now places the burden of proof on the suspended Assistant Manager to defend his claims of "humiliation and insult" against the combined might of the bank's central office machinery.