HYDERABAD: The Telangana State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the State Bank of India (SBI) to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to a customer for causing inconvenience and hardship by misplacing his documents. The Commission also stated that the complainant will be entitled for another Rs 2 lakh in default of primary compensation amount.
Complainant Prabhoojee Bussary, a retired government employee, had availed an equitable mortgage loan from the Waddepalli branch of SBI after depositing his original title deeds and link documents pertaining to a land parcel in Ramakrishna Nagar of Hanamkonda.
In March 2013, Prabhoojee closed his loan and requested the bank officials to return his land documents. However, the bank had, in a written reply, informed him that his documents were “misplaced”. Due to the negligent attitude of the bank officials, Prabhoojee was unable to either distribute the property among his heirs or sell it.
The Commission has also directed the SBI to issue a public notice in Telugu and English newspapers notifying about the misplaced documents. It also advised the SBI to be more cautious and vigilant in future as they are handling many valuable documents of their customers.