A private bank has been ordered to refund Rs 45,000 to a customer and pay Rs 20,000 in damages and legal costs after failing to retrieve funds accidentally sent to an incorrect account, the Haridwar District Consumer Commission ruled.
The district forum directed the institution to return the full transferred sum, alongside Rs 10,000 as compensation for mental agony and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses. The judgment was delivered by a bench consisting of Commission President Gagan Kumar Gupta and members Amresh Rawat and Ranjna Goyal on July 21.
Delayed Action on Erroneous Mobile Transfer
The dispute originated from a mobile banking transaction on January 10, 2019, when a customer attached to the bank’s Civil Lines branch in Roorkee mistakenly sent Rs 45,000 to a stranger while trying to transfer money to an acquaintance.
The customer immediately notified bank officials of the mistake. Bank representatives assured him that the funds would be reclaimed from the recipient’s account within two to four days and that he would be updated on the matter. However, despite repeated inquiries by the customer, the money was never recovered or credited back.
Ex Parte Order Following Non-Appearance
After the bank failed to address the issue or prevent the recipient from withdrawing the funds, the complainant issued a legal notice on March 19, 2019, and subsequently filed a complaint with the consumer commission.
While the bank acknowledged the incident in its reply to the legal notice, it failed to contest the matter before the commission despite receiving multiple opportunities to present a defense. As a result, the commission proceeded ex parte.
In its ruling, the commission noted that the complainant’s documentary evidence and affidavit remained unrefuted. The panel concluded that providing continuous verbal assurances while failing to take timely operational steps to secure the funds amounted to a deficiency in service.
