GUWAHATI, July 29 - The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Kamrup, has ordered the Central Bank of India to pay compensation to the tune of Rs 1,11,000 to Balen Chandra Das, Sachin Kalita and Bhabesh Kalita. The Redressal Forum has also made it mandatory to pay the compensation within 45 days to the complainants.
The complainants � Balen Chandra Das, Sachin Kalita and Bhabesh Kalita � who work as teachers at the Palashbari RB HS & MP School, Mirza, had availed of loans, described as �Cent � Buy Scheme,� from the Central Bank of India, Bijoynagar branch, Kamrup, in 2006. The bank sanctioned Rs 1.5 lakh each to Sachin Kalita and Balen Chandra Das and Rs 1 lakh to Bhabesh Kalita.
Forty-eight EMIs had been regularly deducted from their salaries as repayment. �Though as per the agreement, the loans had been totally repaid and there should not have been any outstanding amounts payable by them, Sachin Kalita and Balen Chandra Das received bank statements that sums of Rs 53,712 were yet to be paid by them and Bhabesh Kalita received a statement that Rs 12,053 was yet to be paid by him,� said advocate Ajoy Hazarika, secretary, Consumers� Legal Protection Forum, who took up the matter. Hazarika said that while probing the matter, the bank authorities informed that the interest was changed to 12.5 pc from 9.5 pc, which was fixed and stated in the sanction letter.
�The bank manager, without any intimation to the loanees, raised the rate of interest. The complainants submitted several representations to the bank authorities, but to no avail. They also prayed for loan clearance certificates as they had already paid 48 EMIs. But the bank authorities refused to issue the same and enhanced the interest from 9.5 pc to 12.5 pc and afterwards to 13 pc without intimation and consent of the complainants,� Hazarika added.
Thereafter, the complainants filed a complaint with the Consumers� Legal Protection Forum, a consumer rights body, against the Central Bank of India for their �deficiency in service and negligence.� On behalf of the complainants, Hazarika filed the cases (bearing numbers CC-02/11, 03/11 and 04/11) with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Kamrup.
�After long prosecution, the District Forum ordered the payment of compensation of Rs 1,11,000 (Rs 37,000 each) to the complainants, holding the Central Bank of India liable for its �deficiency in service and negligence� as it failed to take care of the rights of the customers as promised,� added Hazarika.
