Ld. Advocate(s)

                                    For Complainant: Subhajit Das

                                    For OP/OPs : None

            Date of filing of the case                      :03.06.2022

            Date of Disposal  of the case              :25.07.2024

Final Order / Judgment dtd.25.07.2024

 The concise fact of the case of the complainant is that the complainant Anup Kumar Dey is a handicapped  and unemployed. So, the government of West Bengal  paid a sum of Rs.1,500/- per month to the complainant  as unemployment allowance.  He used to withdraw  the said allowance from his bank  account of OP Bank  State Bank of India, Khidirpur Branch through  cheque.  Suddenly,  he found that the OP Bank  stopped withdrawing  money  from his account. The complainant  lodged a complaint  to the OP Bank on 29.12.2020 through  his Advocate  Subhajit  Das to which the OP bank  SBI, Khidirpur Branch replied  on 05.01.2021 that “The hold of Rs.1,77,000/-  dated  14.06.2017  in  your  account   can  be  removed provided you  visit the branch  and request    in writing  to resolve  the issue.” The complainant  could not operate  his bank account for a long time  due to physical  illness. The money paid  by the Government was credited  to his account.  The advocate  of the complainant sent a legal notice  to the OP Bank to release the above mentioned  amount of the  complainant  which the OP Bank received  on 11.01.2021 but they did not  pay any heed to that.  Thereafter,  lockdown started  but the complainant did not  get any help from the Government  but the said  allowance  was paid in each month. Due to negligence  of the bank  the complainant could not  withdraw that money.  The complainant went to the OP Bank several times but the Manager could not assign any reason  as to why the money was withheld. The complainant  issued one account payee cheque  from his account  Rs.3,000/- on 01.09.2020 but the same was dishonoured  due to “funds insufficient” which is illegal  and it was due to the fault of the OP Bank. Such type of arbitrary Act  of the complainant amounted to harassment  and mental pain and agony. So, the present case is  filed. The complainant prayed for an award  for Rs.50,000/- with a direction  to the OP to release  the said money  after withholding  the hold position and  direction to operate the account  and litigation cost of Rs.5,000/-.

Notice was served upon the OP bank. As per order  no.10 dated 20.12.2022 the case is decided to be heard ex-parte  against the OP.

The complainant in order to establish  the case proved  the following documents in course of trial:-

Annexure-1:- Is the Cheque bearing no.753873 dated 01.09.20120 drawn on SBI Khidirpur Branch, Bethuadahari, Nadia.

Annexure-2:- Is the  copy of cheque dishonour slip.

Annexure-3:- Is the legal  notice.

Annexure-4:- Is the letter of OP Bank dated 05.01.2021.

The complainant  also  filed the handicapped certificate  and the original passbook.

The complainant  also filed  evidence on affidavit  to substantiate the case .

The entire  oral and  documentary evidence  of the complainant  Anup Kumar Dey  stands unchallenged  and undiscarded  in as much as  the case is heard ex-parte. The OP could not discard  the evidence  in the form  of affidavit in chief and the documentary  evidence.  The OP could not establish  as to why the account  of the complainant was withheld  as alleged  and proved by the complainant.

Thus  having assessed  the entire  oral and documentary evidence  of the complainant  the Commission  comes to the finding  that the complainant  proved  the case against the  OP Bank  ex-parte  upto the hilt.

Thus the demeanour of the OP Bank towards  the complainant  in the matter of banking transaction tantamounts  to deficiency in service  which should be  compensated  in terms of money.

Consequently,  the complaint case succeeds  ex-parte  against the OP with cost.   

Hence,

                              It is

Ordered

that the complaint case no.CC/63/2022 be and the same is allowed ex-parte against the OP  SBI Khidirpur Branch with a cost of Rs.5,000/- (Rupees five thousand). The complainant Anup Kumar Dey do get an award  with a direction  to the OP to remove  the hold of the  account of the  complainant  bearing account no.11803504595 in the name  of Anup Kumar Dey  and release  the disputed  amount with liberty  to operate  the said account,  Rs.30,000/- (Rupees thirty thousand) towards  compensation  for harassment and mental pain and agony and  Rs.5,000/- (Rupees five thousand) for litigation cost. The OP SBI Khidirpur Branch , Bethuadahari, Nadia  is directed to  comply  with the  award  as above  and pay Rs.35,000/- (Rupees thirty five thousand) to the complainant  Anup Kumar Dey within 30 days from the date of passing the final order failing which the entire award money shall carry an interest @8% p.a  from the date of passing the final award  till the date of its realisation.

All Interim Applications  (I.A) stand disposed of  accordingly.

D.A to note in the trial register.

The case is accordingly disposed of.

Let a copy of this final order be supplied to both the parties at free of costs.   

Dictated & corrected by me

 ............................................

                PRESIDENT

(Shri   HARADHAN MUKHOPADHYAY,)                             ................ ..........................................

                                                                                                                          PRESIDENT

                                                                                        (Shri   HARADHAN MUKHOPADHYAY,)

I  concur,

........................................                                                 

          MEMBER                                                                

(  SHRI NIROD  BARAN   ROY  CHOWDHURY)