Bengaluru: Canara Bank penalised for furtive debits from customer’s accounts

A consumer commission has penalised Canara Bank’s Banashankari 3rd Stage branch and ordered it to compensate a customer for failing to give details of “unexplained” debits from his account despite repeated complaints.

S Sangameswaran had moved the Bangalore I Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission after both the branch manager and the general manager at Canara Bank’s head office failed to address his concerns over two incidents in which money was taken away from his account without consent.

The first incident dates back to November 15, 2019, when the bank deducted Rs 2,147.03 from a savings bank account in which he is a joint account holder. The amount was sent to LIC, Mumbai. His written complaint to the bank was sent to the digital banking service wing but the claim was not settled.

The second incident pertains to a recurring deposit account that Sangameswaran had opened for making regular deposits for 12 months. Upon maturity, the bank credited Rs 99,669.22 but deducted Rs 3,182 46 days later. On enquiry, bank authorities said “because of a bug in the system”, an excess amount was credited to his account and the same was deducted.

The commission said the bank had no right to keep customers in the dark on debit entries. “No explanation is offered by (the bank) in respect of deduction of the said amount and also to the LIC branch of Mumbai. When this action is taken into consideration, it raises a doubt as to the genuineness of the transfer of the amount,” it said.

As regards the deduction of Rs 3,182, the commission said the bank gave no material evidence to show that excess interest was paid.

The order signed by commission president H R Srinivas and member Sharavathi S M directed the branch manager and the general manager to pay the customer Rs 5,329.03 deducted in two instances along with 6% annual interest. It also ordered the payment of Rs 5,000 in litigation expenses and Rs 5,000 towards mental agony and hardship.