BEFORE THE DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, SIRSA.              

                                                          Consumer Complaint no. 89 of 2024.                                                                           

                                                          Date of Institution :    11.03.2024.

                                                          Date of Decision   :    08.10.2024.

Ranjeet Kaur aged about 47 years wife of Sh. Gurmeet Singh, resident of Court Colony, Street No.4, Tehsil & District Sirsa.

                                ……Complainant.

                             Versus.

1. Branch Manager, HDFC Bank at Sangwan Chowk, Sirsa.

2. G.M./ M.D., HDFC Bank Ltd., HDFC Bank House, Sena Pati, Bagat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai- 400013.

...…Opposite parties.

            Complaint under the provisions  of Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Before:       SH. PADAM SINGH THAKUR ………………PRESIDENT                                 

                  MRS.SUKHDEEP KAUR……………………….MEMBER.

                    SH. OM PARKASH TUTEJA …………………MEMBER

Present:       Sh. G.S. Chahal, Advocate for complainant.

                   Opposite parties already exparte.                                                                 

ORDER

                   In brief, the case of complainant is that complainant has her bank account with op no.1 bearing account no. 50100279252261 which is regularly maintained by her till now and she had always sufficient balance in her account and till today she has more than two lacs in her account. That on 03.11.2023 complainant issued self cheque of Rs.1,80,000/- bearing no. 000006 dated 03.11.2023 which was duly signed by complainant and same was presented in bank through her husband Gurmeet Singh who also signed overleaf of said cheque as per requirement but the bank returned the said cheque by verbally telling to the husband of complainant that account of complainant has been freezed. It is further averred that when husband of complainant enquired about the status and reason of freezing of the account, the bank did not issue any express memo. An FDR in same account was also freezed by the bank and from 09.11.2023 till today bank has not given any information and not opened the account of complainant despite issuance of legal notice dated 05.02.2024. It is further averred that above said act of bank is illegal and complainant has loss of Rs. four lacs in his business due to non payment of amount to the complainant and as such complainant is entitled for the whole loss i.e. amount of Rs. four lacs with interest at the rate of @18% per annum from ops and is also entitled to compensation of Rs.50,000/- from ops on account of harassment besides litigation expenses. Hence, this complaint.  

2.                Notice of the complaint was issued to the ops but none appeared on behalf of ops despite delivery of notices and as such ops were proceeded against exparte.

3.                The complainant in exparte evidence has tendered her affidavit Ex. CW1/A and documents Ex.C1 to Ex.C9.

4.                We have heard learned counsel for complainant and have gone through the case file.

5.                From the record produced on record by complainant, it is evident that on 03.11.2023 complainant issued self cheque bearing no. 000006 for the amount of Rs.1,80,000/- and according to complainant said cheque was presented by her husband to the op bank for payment but said cheque was returned back to him and said cheque has been produced on record as Ex.C1. However, it is evident that from cheque itself there is cutting on the name of Ranjeet Kaur and also there is cutting on the amount.  Further it is evident that on 16.07.2024 complainant also issued cheque bearing no. 000008 dated 16.07.2024 in favour of her husband Gurmeet Singh for the amount of Rs.1,00,000/- which was returned back by the banker of Gurmeet Singh with return memo Ex.C5 with the reason that account blocked. The complainant also issued another cheque bearing no. 000010 dated 16.07.2024 in favour of Shashi Bhushan Sharma but said cheque was returned back vide return memo Ex.C7 with the remarks that account blocked. However, there is nothing on file to prove the fact that complainant ever visited op bank and enquired about the reason that why her account has been blocked and there may be various reasons for blockage of her account i.e. for not having transactions in the account and for want of KYC etc. Moreover, complainant has also not placed on file copy of her pass book/ statement of account showing appropriate balance in her account. So complainant was required to approach to the op bank to know the reason of blocking of her account.

6.                In view of our above discussion, we do not find any merit in the present complaint and same is hereby dismissed but with no order as to costs. However, complainant is at liberty to approach to the ops bank for knowing the reason of blockage of her account and can get her account regularized after completion of necessary formalities, if any. A copy of this order be supplied to the complainant as per rules. File be consigned to the record room. 

Announced.                   Member                Member                President

Dt. 08.10.2024.                                                               District Consumer Disputes                                                                                  

                                                                                       Redressal Commission, Sirsa.