Chennai: The state consumer disputes redressal commission, Chennai, has directed a public sector universal bank to pay a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to a customer for refusing transactions on the global card of his son, who was doing his postgraduate engineering course in the University of Leicester, England.
The bench, comprising presiding judicial member J. Jayaram and member S. Sambandam, directed the bank to pay the amount in two months.
In his petition, Sivakumar of Kamaraj Avenue, Adyar, submitted that he was holding an account in IDBI bank, Greams Road, Chennai.
On September 8, 2005, he obtained a world currency card after paying £2,000 (Rs 1,60,000) from the bank for his son Raghuveer Sivakumar. The card, a pre-paid foreign currency card, provides the convenience of making purchases and withdrawing cash while travelling abroad. It can be used in ATMs or to pay at electronic terminals of merchant establishments.
His son made three swipes, one for £588.45 and two swipes to withdraw £300 each in the university. All three transactions failed; however, the amounts were debited from his account, which amounts to deficiency in service, Sivakumar said.
Sivakumar said his son lost credibility in the university. Hence, he sought a direction to the bank to pay a compensation of Rs 95 lakh for causing mental agony and for deficiency of service.
The counsel for the bank replied that the transactions were declined at the merchant establishment though the bank had credited the amount to the account. Thus there was no deficiency in service on their part.
The bench observed, “Whatever be the reason, the deficiency in service is very much on record. Therefore, we direct the bank to pay Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the petitioner in two months.”
