(1.) The respondent / complainant stood as a guarantor for the education loan extended by the appellant to her son. She also mortgaged a residential flat No. A-408, Sakansh in Memnagar, Ahmedabad for the petitioner bank by depositing the original share certificates issued by the concerned Society as well as the original allotment letter issued to her. On payment of the education loan, the respondent / complainant sought return of the original documents deposited with the bank. The bank having failed to return the said documents, she approached the Banking Ombudsman who directed the petitioner bank to pay Rs.25,000/- as compensation to the complainant and obtain and supply the duplicate copies of the documents at its own cost. Being dissatisfied, the complainant approached the concerned State Commission by way of a consumer complaint, seeking Rs.12,00,000/- towards her loss along with Rs.10,00,000/- as damages.
(2.) The complaint was resisted by the appellant bank, which admitted having lost / misplaced the original documents. The bank however, denied any loss to the complainant on account of its having lost / misplaced the original documents of the property of the complainant.
(3.) The State Commission vide its order dated 30.6.2017, directed the appellant to pay a sum of Rs.6,00,000/- as compensation to the complainant for the monetary loss suffered by her, along with Rs.40,000/- towards compensation for the mental agony and Rs.10,000/- as the cost of litigation. The bank was also directed to return either the original documents or obtain their copies and provide the same to the complainant at its own cost. Being aggrieved, the bank is before this Commission by way of this Appeal.