Kerala panel revises order, asks complainant to repay money
A complainant claimed the FD of Rs 20 lakh deposited by his mother in a bank.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (KSDRC) has suo motu made a revision and directed a complainant to re-deposit Rs 20 lakh given to him by a bank based on an order by a lower forum. As per the complaint registered by P.V. Poulose of Ambalavayal, Sulthan Bathery, his deceased mother Annamma had remitted the money as a fixed deposit in Madakkimala Service Cooperative Bank, Wayanad. She had designated him as a nominee. However, his sister Lali Lawrence objected to this. With this, he moved Wayanad Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum claiming the entire money.
The president of the forum and one member in an order directed the bank manager to release the full amount in fixed deposit to the complainant. However, another member, Renimol Mathew, expressed a different view. Since the amount is above Rs 20 lakh, the forum has no jurisdiction to entertain the complaint, and the commission was to take a decision. Ms Lawrence challenged the said order and the commission took the revision suo-motu and issued a notice to both parties. The dissenting order passed by Ms Mathew was confirmed. However, the bank had already released the entire amount to Mr Poulose. The commission directed him to re-deposit that amount failing to which the bank was to realise it. The bank will retain the amount with it till he produces the succession certificate. Ms Lawrence was represented by advocate S. Raghukumar.