RBI Imposes Monetary Penalty on Airtel Payments Bank for Disclosure Non-Compliance

RBI Press Releases

Filed March 30th, 2026

Detected March 31st, 2026

Summary

The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹31.80 lakh on Airtel Payments Bank Limited for non-compliance with RBI directions on 'Disclosure in Financial Statements'. The penalty was imposed based on supervisory findings from the ISE 2025 inspection regarding the bank's failure to disclose certain complaints in its annual financial statements for FY 2024-25.

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What changed

RBI issued an order on March 30, 2026, imposing a monetary penalty of ₹31.80 lakh (₹3.18 million) on Airtel Payments Bank Limited under Section 47A(1)(c) read with Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The penalty stems from the bank's failure to disclose certain complaints in its annual financial statements for FY 2024-25, as identified during the Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE 2025) conducted with reference to the financial position as of March 31, 2025.

Compliance teams at regulated entities should review their financial statement disclosure practices to ensure compliance with RBI disclosure requirements. Banks should verify that all customer complaints are properly documented and disclosed in annual financial statements. The RBI action clarifies that the penalty is based on regulatory compliance deficiencies and does not validate or invalidate any customer transactions. The RBI reserves the right to initiate additional actions against the bank.

What to do next

Review financial statement disclosure practices for compliance with RBI directions on 'Disclosure in Financial Statements'
Ensure all customer complaints are properly documented and disclosed in annual financial statements
Conduct internal audit of FY 2024-25 financial statements for undisclosed complaints

Penalties

₹31.80 lakh (Rupees Thirty One Lakh Eighty Thousand) monetary penalty

Source document (simplified)

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March 30, 2026

Reserve Bank of India imposes monetary penalty on Airtel Payments Bank Limited

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated March 30, 2026, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹31.80 lakh (Rupees Thirty one lakh eighty thousand only) on Airtel Payments Bank Limited (the bank) for non-compliance with certain provisions of the directions issued by RBI on ‘Disclosure in Financial Statements’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of section 47A(1)(c) read with section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE 2025) of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2025. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said RBI directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice, additional submissions made by it and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found that the charge against the bank regarding non-disclosure of certain complaints in its annual financial statements for the financial year 2024-25, was sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty. The action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.

(Brij Raj) Press Release: 2025-2026/2358 Chief General Manager

󰲐󰫦󰰚 󰭈󰭈 PRESS RELEASE :   , RESERVE BANK OF INDIA  , Website : www.rbi.org.in Department of Communication, Central Office, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Fort,