Bank liable for break-in and theft from locker

The National Commission observed that when a locker is broken into, it constitutes a breach of the promised assurance of safety, and is hence, a deficiency in service

Gopal Prasad Mahanty and his daughter Rupali had been customers of State Bank of India's Bokaro Steel City Branch in Jharkhand for nearly four decades. They had a savings bank account, several high-value fixed deposits, and a locker.

On the night between December 25 and 26, 2017, a theft took place in the bank. Several lockers were broken open, including the one rented by Mahanty. Items such as jewellery, postal deposit instruments, and other valuables kept in the locker were stolen. Mahanty learnt about the theft through the news telecast on 26th evening. Next morning, his daughter and he rushed to