State Bank of India has been asked by a consumer forum here to pay over Rs 23,000 to a man for failing to investigate his complaint of a fraudulent transaction from his credit card.
New Delhi Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, presided by C K Chaturvedi, asked SBI to pay Rs 23810.91 to Delhi resident K Suryanarayan, saying that the bank was under obligation to inform police and find the address and particulars of the user or the beneficiary of the online transaction.
"We find that once complainant is alleging fraudulent transaction, opposite party (bank) is under obligation to inform police, find the address and particulars of user or beneficiary of online transaction, and cannot simply sit back by taking the transaction genuine without going into truth.
"We see no reason to disbelieve complainant, and thus OP defaulted in rendering due service by proper investigation," the forum's bench, also comprising its members S R Chaudhary and Ritu Garodia, said.
The forum directed the bank to re-credit the money, deducted from Suryanarayan's card, and pay a compensation of Rs 5000 for harassment.
Suryanarayan had told the forum that on October 1, 2012, he received an SMS regarding a transaction of Rs 18810.91 through his credit card, though he had not used it.
On inquiry, however, he was informed by the bank that it was a genuine online transaction. Thereafter, he requested the bank to conduct an investigation but it was not done.
Aggrieved by this, he approached the forum.
The bank, however, chose not to contest the claim or put its version before the forum, and was processed ex parte.
