Ludhiana | Consumer forum penalises bank for not remitting money before closing branch

Consumer forum directed Citi Bank to return complainant’s money with interest @6% per annum and also to pay compensation of ₹8,000 for failing to return the money deposited in the bank account of the complainant before closing a branch in Ludhiana

For failing to return the money deposited in the bank account of the complainant before closing a branch in Ludhiana, the district consumer disputes redressal commission directed Citi Bank to return the money with interest and also to pay compensation of ₹8,000.

Ludhiana consumer forum, in its order, observed that there was no evidence of physical communication sent to the complainant, as claimed by the bank. (Representative Photo/HT Files)

Pawan Sood, 68, of Miller Ganj, said he was maintaining a joint savings account in the bank with his wife Vandana Sood, since 2002.

An amount of ₹35,810.20 was lying in the account, a bank statement for the period April 01, 2017 to March 31, 2018 showed.

In August 2018, the complainant came to know that the bank’s branch in Feroze Gandhi Market, Ludhiana, was closed. The complainant wrote to the bank’s Chennai office, requesting a complete statement of the account from April 01, 2017 to August 21, 2018.

The bank informed that as per record, the balance in the account was nil which was closed on May 03, 2017.

The bank further supplied a statement of the account which showed that a sum of ₹ 35,810.20 was standing to the credit of the complainant as on May 03, 2017.

However, the said amount was not received by the complainant nor was any information supplied to him as to why the money was transferred.

The complainant requested the commission to order the bank to remit the amount of ₹ 35,936.20, along with interest from May 31, 2018 till the date of payment and also sought ₹ 2 lakh compensation on account of deficiency of service.

Meanwhile, resisting the complaint, the counsel for the bank stated that the bank had sent prior communications to all its customers.

“The complainant had not provided his mobile number or email id to the bank and therefore, emails and SMS communications have not been received by the complainant and only physical communications were sent to him,” said the bank.

However the commission, in its order, observed that there was no evidence of physical communication sent to the complainant.

“At the time of closure of the account, a sum of ₹35,936.20 was outstanding balance which the bank was supposed to pay to the complainant immediately on the closure of the branch. The bank can be held liable to pay this amount along with interest @6% per annum from May 03, 2017 till the date of actual payment. The bank is further liable to pay ₹8,000 compensation,” stated the commission.