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Andhra Pradesh
ICICI Bank asked to pay compensation, costs
| False statements were issued for deactivated credit card |
The bank stated that a cheque for Rs. 3,258.93 issued by the complainant bounced
Adequate amount was available in his account with no scope for the cheque to get bounced
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakhapatnam District Consumer Forum-I has directed a private bank to pay Rs.75,000 as compensation and Rs.5,000 towards cost of litigation, besides asking it not to address any letter/statement to the consumer in connection with a deactivated credit card.
According to the case record, a senior medical practitioner in the city, V. Ananda Rao, took a credit card of ICICI Bank on constant persuasion by the latter though he was not in need of any such card. Thereafter, the bank’s agents began harassing him by issuing false account statements, approach his hospital, make telephone calls, thereby causing annoyance to him. To avoid the situation, he closed his account in May last year paying Rs.17,137.66 towards full settlement, tore the credit card and handed it over to the bank.
But, he still had to issue a cheque later for Rs.3,258.93 so as to avoid pressure from the bank agents-the amount was paid in pursuance of a false account statement. Again the bank issued another false statement claiming various charges on the ground the cheque issued by him was bounced. He was surprised at this since there were adequate funds in his bank account. With the false statements issued even after closure of account, he filed a complaint (868/2007) in the Forum against the bank’s credit card division branch manager (OP1), credit card operations branch manager at Mumbai (OP2), the bank’s regional manager at Vadodara (OP3) and against Andhra Bank’s KGH branch where he had an account and issued cheque, seeking compensation for mental agony, and costs, besides ensuring that the opposite parties did not send credit card statements and agents. In the counter, the opposite parties 1 to 3 denied the allegations that upon constant persuasion by the OP1 and wrong statements were issued. The amounts reflected in the statement revealed that the complainant had used the credit card and there was no deficiency in service, they stated, while seeking dismissal of the complaint with costs. The OP4 filed a counter contending lack of knowledge in respect of the transactions between the complainant and the OP1 and there was no negligence or deficiency in service on its part. President of Forum-I Y. Dhilleswara Rao and Members G. Viswanatha Reddy and D. Suseela in their verdict on Wednesday observed: “What a surprise, a leader in private banking has resorted to such dubious and scorching customer modules! It is needless for the customer to issue a cheque for Rs.3,258.93 in favour of OP1 since he already issued a cheque for the entire amount. But he issued the cheque to purchase peace. The complainant is a senior citizen and highly qualified doctor…”
On the alleged bouncing of cheque, the Forum noted that the bank statement showed that the balance available during the period was always beyond Rs.65,000 and there was no scope for the cheque to be bounced. The material on record established that it was an unfair and a dangerous trade practice of floating on deficiency in service causing terrible mental agony and hardship.
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