SUPERINTENDENT OF POST OFFICES Vs. GEETA SHARMA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) SINCE on similar set of facts common order passed by the District Forum, Tonk in nine complaints is under challenge, all the above appeals have been heard together and are being decided by this common order.

(2.) ALL the above nine complainants are residents of a small township Niwai in District Tonk of Rajasthan. To encourage small saving scheme a Special Senior Citizen Saving Scheme was launched by the Central Government in the year 2004. Being the senior citizens all the nine complainants deposited Rs. 27 lacs in their individual account of Rs. 1 lakh each at different times between 2006 -2007. After depositing the above amount under the scheme referred above, the complainants were also paid regular interest on the amount deposited by them upto December 2008. However, as has been alleged by the appellants a notice dated 28.7.2009 was issued to all the complainants that in view of some audit objections all the accounts opened by them under the particular scheme were irregular and against the provisions of the scheme. Thus, they were not entitled for any interest on the amount so deposited. No interest from January 2009 was paid to any complainant however, the amount deposited by them is still lying with the appellants in the individual accounts.

(3.) THE learned Counsel for the appellants submitted that under the Senior Citizen Saving Scheme only Rs. 99,000 could be deposited in each account at a time thus, as per the scheme no interest could be paid to the complainants since accounts had been opened in violation of terms of the scheme. Some vague allegation of connivance of complainants with the agent concerned have also been whispered and half heartedly it has also been submitted that after receiving the notice, the complainants should have closed their individual accounts and withdrawn the amount so deposited by them in the above scheme.