Pvt bank fined for harassing customer who lost credit card

Directing the bank to pay the costs to Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital to treat poor patients, Justice C V Karthikeyan said, “It is hoped that at least now they would realise that they survive only on confidence and the trust placed by the customers and not on the regrettable attitude oftheir staff.”

When he was on a business trip to France, N Santosh Kumar had lost his wallet containing credit several credit cards, including one from Axis Bank, on October 1, 2018. After complaining to the Paris police, he provided a copy of the complaint to the bank on October 30. But while other banks settled the issue amicably, Axis Bank started counter harassing him to pay Rs 1.80 lakh for nine transactions done using the credit card after it was lost.

The nodal officer also held Santhosh solely responsible for the security of the card, despite an RBI notification on Customer Protection and Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions that said customers was protected with zero liability when the bank was informed about the theft of the credit card within threeworking days.

Justice Karthikeyan noted though the petitioner had uploaded all required documents on October 20, 2018, within 30 days, the counter affidavit stated that he had delayed submitting them. “I am unable to understand that stand… By any stretch of mathematical imagination, 20 days is less than 30 days. It is unfortunate that the petitioner who lost his wallet in Paris, has also lost his mind handling the indifferent personnelof the bank.”