Bank told to compensate customer for unauthorised debit for PMSBY scheme
The Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed a nationalised bank to pay a customer ₹5,000 towards compensation for unauthorised debit from his savings bank account for the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) scheme and the cost of fighting it legally.
The Commission comprising president D.B. Binu and members V. Ramachandran and Sreevidhia T.N. issued the verdict on a petition filed by K. Viswanathan, a senior citizen from Thripunithura, against the manager of the Thripunithura branch of the State Bank of India.
According to the complainant, the opposite party debited an amount of ₹12 from his savings bank account for the PMSBY scheme without his written consent on May 31, 2015. This unauthorised debit was confirmed during an RTI reply four months later. The PMSBY scheme was optional in nature.
On May 24, 2020, the complainant requested to discontinue the scheme, but the premium for 2021 was still debited on May 15, 2021. The premium was re-credited only two months later after a complaint to the higher authorities.
On his part, the opposite party said the government had instructed banks to promote the scheme widely. The bank informed its customers, including the complainant, of the scheme, often obtaining consent over the phone. Written consent from customers was not available in the bank’s records. Upon receiving the complainant’s request to stop deductions, the bank reversed the May 2021 premium and credited it back to his account, the opposite party submitted.
The bank asserted that it had provided utmost customer service and immediate remedial measures to address the complainant’s grievances.
“The opposite party did not obtain written consent before debiting the complainant’s account for the PMSBY scheme due to negligence. The opposite party is liable for the unauthorised debit of ₹12 from the complainant’s account, which caused significant mental agony and financial hardship to the complainant. The opposite party’s actions demonstrate negligence and a failure to provide the expected level of service,” the Commission observed.
Consequently, the opposite party shall pay the petitioner ₹2,000 towards unauthorised debit for the scheme and another ₹3,000 towards cost of litigation.
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