UDAY NARAYAN GHOSH Vs. STATE BANK OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition has been filed by a legal professional who was, inter alia, on the panel of the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, which merged with the State Bank of India (SBI) on April 1, 2017. Before the said merger, the petitioner had all along acted as an empanelled lawyer without any complaint having arisen against the petitioner from any quarter.

(2.) For the first time in the year 2018, the petitioner learnt of a letter dated January 2, 2014 issued by the then State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur to the Indian Bankers' Association (IBA) with an advice to place the petitioner's name in the IBA Caution List of Third Party Entities involved in frauds. Upon the petitioner making query, the Deputy Chief Executive, IBA informed on November 15, 2018 that such listing was done on the report of the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur and had been circulated to all members of the IBA vide communication dated January 16, 2014. The petitioner was informed by the IBA that the SBI (respondent no.1) was to be approached for removal of his name from the list. Although the petitioner made several correspondences, the petitioner was not informed about the reason of the caution listing. The Assistant General Manager of the SBI asked the petitioner by a Letter dated February 26, 2020 to disclose the reason for his name being included in the list and other relevant details.

(3.) Ultimately, the petitioner was informed that in view of three Title Investigation Reports (TIRs) issued by the petitioner, the bank was examining the petitioner's contention and would revert back in due course, which the bank did not do.