UTI Bank fined Rs 1 lakh for lapses in customer's account

NEW DELHI: The Delhi State Consumer Commission has slapped a penalty of Rs one lakh on a private sector bank for lapses in finalising the account of an 85-year-old customer.

"In our view a lump sum compensation of Rs one lakh for the actual loss, mental agony, harassment and physical discomfort encountered by the appellant due to the negligence, indifferent and insensitive attitude of the respondent shall meet the ends of justice," the Commission president Justice J D Kapoor said.

The Commission asked the UTI Bank (now known as Axis Bank) to pay the amount to octogenarian Surya Narayan Saxena, a resident of Swasthya Vihar, who alleged that the bank had paid him less interest on a deposit and also reduced balance amount in his saving bank account.
    
Setting aside a decision of a district consumer forum, Justice Kapoor said that it had failed to compare statements of accounts issued by the bank to Saxena and those submitted by the complainant himself.

Saxena, who was having a saving account with the bank, lodged a complaint with the district forum in March 2006 on the ground that his balance amount had been reduced from Rs 3.83 lakh to 3.29 lakh in March 2003. His another grievance was that he was paid less amount of interest on his fixed term deposit.
   
The Commission termed the shortfall of over Rs 50,000 in accounts as "unexplained and truly alarming" to Saxena.
   
Appreciating Saxena for showing patience in pursuing his case, Justice Kapoor said, "in our view, the deficiency and negligence on the part of respondent is writ large on the face and the poor old man has been put to unnecessary harassment."