Bank ordered to pay NRI Rs 6.26 lakh
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JULY 6
The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, South has ordered a leading private bank to pay to an NRI an amount of Rs 6.26 lakh for deficiency in service by the bank resulting in causing loss to the complainant.
In this case, the complainant Savio Fernandes had lost his bag containing all documents of his bank transactions, including those of the accounts with the bank. He immediately through his mandate holder requested the bank to block his accounts so that the same could not be operated by the person, who had managed to secure possession of his bank documents together with ATM cards.
He, however, maintained that there was deficiency in service by the bank by neglecting to adhere to the instructions to block the account, resulting in a loss of the amount withdrawn by the culprits from his account.
The bank, in its reply, had denied any deficiency in service or dereliction of duty by the bank staff.
In his order, President of the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Adv Jagdish Prabhudessai observed that the Forum is duty bound to accept the legitimate grievance of the complainant that this is clear case of failure to perform duty towards the account holder of the bank.
“The bank has miserably failed to comply with the timely instructions given by the complainant. We agree that instructions are issued to the account holders of the precautions to be taken to protect the ATM card, but they do not come into picture in the present case since the documents were all lost and bank was informed to block the account. Hence, contributory negligence attributed by the bank to the ATM card holder are not applicable here”, Adv Prabhudesai said.
