Chennai Central Co-op bank to compensate customer Rs 1.55 lakh

Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) directed a Cooperative bank to pay a compensation of Rs 1.55 lakh to a woman as her property documents kept in the bank locker were destroyed by termites.

In the petition, K.Padma Priya, Anna Nagar West, submitted that she was working in Karur. As she travelled frequently to Karur she kept the original land documents in her locker at Chennai Central Co-Operative Bank Limited, Thirumangalam. She hoped that the documents would be safe in it. She was paying the rent to the bank regularly for hiring the locker. She kept 9 sale deeds of properties she purchased in Thiruvallur and Karur districts, gold jewellery and silver articles in the locker.

While so, the bank staff on August 17, 2013 informed her to remove her belongings from the locker as termites had invaded it. Her mother, who went to the bank, found that the original title deeds were damaged by termites and she found only tiny pieces of paper in the locker.

On August 18, 2013 her mother requested the bank to issue a letter stating that the documents were destroyed by termites. However, the bank staff forced her to give a complaint to the police station and the police, in turn, sought a letter from the bank.

Shocked by the incident, her mother became seriously ill and she lost her breath on August 30, 2013. She was unable to either mortgage or to sell the properties for emergency needs due to lack of original documents.

She contended that the bank was a negligent in not maintaining the locker properly and committed deficiency in service. In the petition, she sought direction to the bank to pay Rs 19.60 lakh as compensation and for causing her mental agony.

In its reply, the branch manager of the bank denied the allegations. The bank was not aware what was kept inside the locker. The branch officials are never present at the time of operating it.

Hence, the staff members were not aware of what was kept in the locker. The bank denies informing her about vacating the locker due to termites. The bank took adequate care to maintain the locker properly and the steel locket was painted with anti-corrosives. Denying deficiency in service, the bank sought the Forum to dismiss the complaint.

The bench comprising its president, K. Jayabalan and member T. Kalaiyarasi the bank expected to maintain the safe locker in a proper manner by using pest control in a periodical manner, so as to ensure the maintenance of the locker.

However, Chennai Central Co-Operative Bank Limited, Thirumangalam branch had not properly maintained the locker and as a result, termites have eaten the documents. Hence, the branch has been directed to pay her Rs 1.55 lakh as compensation for causing her mental agony and negligence, the bench said.