A former Westpac banker in Australia, Pravin Kumar Malik, has lost an unfair dismissal case after the bank sacked him for accepting cash payments from customers, in a case that emerged amid wider scrutiny of the lender. Despite being described as a "top performer", Malik's conduct breached the bank's policies, and a tribunal or court sided with Westpac's decision to terminate his employment, underlining that internal performance record does not shield staff from consequences of misconduct.

Details of exactly how much cash Malik received, from how many customers and over what period were central to the case, alongside Westpac's internal investigation that uncovered the payments. The ruling reinforces the bank's right to dismiss staff for breaches of conduct rules even when they are high achievers, in a matter that has drawn attention following broader controversies affecting Westpac's reputation.