Exclusive: “SBI’s Chosen Silence Behind Closed Glass Doors”: Harassment and Retaliation that Punishes Truth and Integrity

A chilling picture of chosen silence and retaliation has begun to emerge from within one of India’s most trusted public institutions & a Model Employer, the State Bank of India (SBI).

In a letter shared with Kanal by an anonymous SBI officer, fresh details have surfaced about the alleged sustained harassment and institutional suppression of facts faced by senior loyalist officer Vikas Soni, widely known across the banking sector for his 18 years of dedicated services and award-winning performances in a row.

Image: Letter written by Vikas Soni to SBI’s Managing Director, Mumbai, and Regional Manager, Akola, seeking immediate intervention against alleged workplace harassment and retaliation

According to this officer, Soni’s ordeal is not an isolated event, it reflects a deeply worrying ongoing culture of fear and administrative abuse of power & authorities by keeping ethics aside that many within the system are compelled to endure silently.

[Read More on the case of Vikas Soni: Exclusive: “Denied Salary, Abrupt Transfer, Left in Silence” – SBI Officer Raises Voice against Injustice And Work-Place Toxicity]

From Model Officer to Marked Target
Vikas Soni, as described by this officer, had always been recognised for his commitment, growth contribution to the bank, vision and innovative welfare initiatives for bank employees. “He wasn’t just performing his duties, he was trying to make the system better,” the anonymous source said.

“But in a cruel twist according to the officer, the very principles & welfare efforts he upheld became the reason he was punished and made Soni a target”.

“Once he began raising serious concerns about HR insensitivity and suggesting welfare reforms, things changed drastically. His salary was stopped for over a year, his house rent payment was blocked (with motives to uproot him & family), and then came the transfer to a far-flung, lower-grade branch in Maharashtra. It was meant to break him and teach lessons to many, not to dare by raising honest voices, else face this melodrama,” the officer revealed.

What shocks insiders even more is the allegation that the decision carried the silent endorsement of top executives, including the Chairman, Managing Director, and the Board of Directors.

Image: Letter part 2

Denied the Right to Seek Justice
The letter clearly states that when Vikas Soni tried to seek legal redress through constitutional means by approaching the Indian Courts, the Labour Court, or the National Human Rights Commission, the bank’s top management allegedly withheld permission required under Bank’s service rules.

“For more than six months, he kept on writing letters and reminders, requesting the bank to allow him to approach external authorities. There was no reply ever. Silence became the bank’s appropriate chosen answer that reflects complicity and insensitivity towards fundamental & constitutional rights.” the source revealed.

This deliberate inaction, according to the officer, is not just administrative neglect, it amounts to institutional suppression by force. “When an organisation denies you the right to seek justice, it’s not discipline, it’s control by abuse of authority,” the officer added.

Punished for raising honest voice
Instead of investigating & addressing the matter, the bank allegedly initiated disciplinary action against Soni citing that he had written to top executives in violation of hierarchy.

“Think about it, a man asks for fair treatment, and the system brands him defiant. That’s the culture of fear by cruelty we are trapped in,” said the anonymous insider.

This, the officer says, is a prevalent pattern within institutions where voices that question unethical practices are often pushed to the margins.

Constitutional and Moral Violations
If these allegations are true, the treatment meted out to Soni represents a direct violation of & infringes upon Article 21 (Right to Life and Livelihood) and Article 19(1)(a) (Freedom of Speech and Expression) of the Constitution of India & others.

“Public Sector Banks are not private empires. They are funded by the people of India. They cannot treat integrity as a threat and power to abuse,” the officer emphasised.

Image: Letter part 3

Institutional Silence and Growing Fear
The anonymous officer says that Soni’s case has shaken many within SBI’s internal circles. Several officers, he claims, privately express concern but fear retaliation if they speak.

“Inside the closed glass doors, there’s a quiet fear. The management exemplifies us all to stay silent, else career, hard-earned job & survival on stake” the officer said.

The shocking wave also brings into question SBI’s internal mechanisms for grievance redressal, which appear, in this instance, to have failed spectacularly ever on reported critical issues .

A Larger Question of Accountability
This episode, according to employee voices across banking networks, reflects a larger crisis brewing within public sector institutions where administrative authority often outweighs ethical accountability and seems like powers behind glass doors are immune to any accountability.

“When even a high-performing loyalist like Vikas Soni can be shouted at for raising legitimate issues, what hope & trust do the thousands of other employees have?” another anonymous officer asked.

The concern, they say, is not just about one man’s suffering, it’s about the message being sent across the workforce: “Conform, or be crushed being integrity meets the harassment here.”

Image: Letter ending

A Call for Oversight and Reform
The matter, now drawing serious attention within employee associations, requires immediate review by oversight authorities, Parliament committees, and the Ministry of Finance.

“This is not an internal HR issue anymore, it’s about protecting constitutional rights, human dignity, and the moral foundation of public service, being Justice is not a Loan, It is anyone’s Fundamental Right”, the officer added further.

Editor’s Note – Voices Within the System
As this story continues to unfold, The Kanal remains in touch with employees, associations, and experts across the banking sector. The voices rising from within the walls of India’s largest public sector bank are not just about personal injustice, they are a reminder that institutions built on public trust must also uphold public conscience.

When silencing becomes a tool of power, speaking truth itself becomes an act of courage.