CHENNAI: A city consumer forum has directed Indian Bank to pay an account-older `1.5 lakh towards the silver articles that allegedly went missing from her bank locker in 2006. Lakshmi Jayaraman, a resident of RA Puram, complained to the Chief Manager of the Eldams Road branch on October 19, 2006 that silver articles weighing 7.29 kg kept by her in a locker had gone missing. The bank officials maintained that it was impossible for the articles to go missing from the locker and accepted a written complaint after persuasion.
The bank replied to her that it was impossible for the articles to go missing since the key was in the complainant’s custody.
Dissatisfied with the response of the bank, Lakshmi Jayaraman approached an NGO that works for consumer rights in Ahmedabad, Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS). When the Chief Manager reiterated his stand on the issue, the NGO wrote to the RBI regarding the missing silver items.
“The CERS received a letter dated February 22, 2008 from the office of RBI stating that its letter has been referred to the controlling office of Indian Bank for necessary action,” said the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Chennai (South) presided by M Mony in its recent order directing the bank to pay `1.5 lakh to the complainant.
“Till date the bank has not taken proper action or settled the grievance which amounts to deficiency in service... Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, this forum is of the considered view that the opposite party (the bank) is jointly and severally liable to pay a sum of `1.5 lakh towards the value of silver and shall pay compensation of `15,000 towards mental agony.”
Silver articles
Lakshmi Jayaraman, a resident of RA Puram, complained to the Chief Manager of the Eldams Road branch on October 19, 2006 that silver articles weighing 7.29 kg kept by her in a locker had gone missing. The bank officials maintained that it was impossible for the articles to go missing from the locker and accepted a written complaint.