SBI to pay Rs 1.85L to customer for breaking open their locker

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) order came on the plea of SBI against concurrent judgement of the the West Bengal State Consumer Commission and a district forum there holding the bank guilty of rendering deficient service for breaking open the lockers when the customers were not defaulters.

The district forum had directed the bank to pay damages of Rs 2.15 lakh, which was modified by the state consumer commission to Rs 1.85 lakh on an appeal by SBI.

The district forum's order had come on the complaint of Tapash Kumar Majumdar, a resident of 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, who had claimed that when he and his sister had gone to the bank they came to know that their lockers had been forcibly opened along with those of the defaulters.

The NCDRC dismissed the bank's plea, saying "the State Consumer Commission rightly held that Bank had failed to show to it any norm in support of their contention that the bank is entitled to break open the lockers of a consumer where there is no outstanding dues in respect of rental charge of the said locker."

"Order passed by the learned State Commission does not require any interference. The same is flawless," the bench presided by Justice J M Malik said. (More)