STANDARD CHARTERED BANK Vs. KSHITIJ KHANNA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This order shall dispose of all three revision petitions arising out of same impugned order in appeal Nos.516/2018, 517/2018 and 518/2018 filed by the petitioner (hereinafter called as "the Bank"?) against the order of the District Forum in CC Nos.883/2017, 884/2017 and 885/2017 of the respondents (hereinafter called as "the Complainants"?).

(2.) Admitted facts of the case are that the complainants had put their money in three FDs, the nature of which was 'two in one reinvestment deposit', in the year 1998 on different dates. In November, 2017, they approached the Bank for encashment of the FDs and they were told that their FD amount was showing nil and refused to encash the FDs on the ground that they did not have any record. Three complaints were filed by the complainants. District Forum decided all the three complaints vide three separate orders dated 10.7.2018. All the complaints were allowed and the bank was directed to refund the amount of FDRs with rate of interest from the date of deposit till its realization and also awarded compensation in each of the complaints to the tune of Rs.5,000/- with litigation expenses of Rs.3,000/-.

(3.) Being aggrieved, the bank filed three appeals. In the appeals the argument taken was that the complaints were barred by limitation and this issue was not considered by the District Forum. It was also argued that the record of the complainant was not kept by the bank which they were not obliged to keep after eight years as per rules and regulations of the bank and this fact was not considered by the District Forum and that the District Forum had wrongly put the liability upon the bank. Vide impugned order, the State Commission dismissed all the three appeals and the order of the District Forum was maintained. These revision petitions have been filed challenging the impugned order.