Bank to pay customer Rs 24k

Goof-up

HDFC Bank has been ordered by a consumer forum here to pay over Rs 24,000 as compensation to one of its account holders for delivering his credit card to someone else.

Rejecting the bank’s contention that the card was delivered to one Sadaqat, the brother of account holder Mohd Gulraiz, the South District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum said no due precaution was taken in delivering the card.

“The credit card was delivered to one Sadaqat, who does not stand proved to be a relative or representative of the complainant (Gulraiz). In the circumstances, we are of the view that the bank did not take due precautions resulting in financial loss to complainant and he is liable to be compensated due to deficiency of service on their (HDFC Bank’s) part,” said the bench presided by M P Mehndiratta.

It also directed HDFC Bank to refund Rs 2,850 (paid by Gulraiz initially) as well as Rs 16,649 transferred from his savings account to settle dues against expenditures on card and to pay him Rs 5,000 as litigation cost.

Gulraiz said, he had a savings account with the Okhla Industrial Area branch of the HDFC Bank, which had offered him a lifetime free credit card and on completing paperwork, he was told the card would be delivered in 20 days.

Gulraiz had to leave town on a prior engagement and had given his contact number to the bank, to call and ascertain his presence and specifically instructed them to deliver the card only to him. 

On his return, he was informed by the bank that purchases had been made on his card, he said, adding that he immediately told the bank about the card not being delivered to him.