The Sambhal District Consumer Commission has directed Prathama UP Gramin Bank to return ₹1,45,000 that was fraudulently withdrawn from a farmer’s account. The Commission also ordered the bank to pay 7% annual interest on the amount and imposed a penalty of ₹30,000. The farmer will receive the withdrawn amount along with interest.
Fraud Detected in Farmer’s KCC Account
The order was passed by a bench headed by Commission President Ramachal Yadav and Member Namita Dubey. The case involved farmer Ramkunwar, whose Kisan Credit Card (KCC) account at the Pathakpur branch of Prathama UP Gramin Bank was debited by ₹1,45,000 on 19 April 2023 without his permission. During the investigation, it was found that a fake debit voucher had allegedly been prepared with the involvement of bank officials and staff.
Farmer Approached Consumer Commission
The farmer came to know about the unauthorized withdrawal after updating his passbook. He then filed a complaint before the Sambhal Consumer Commission through advocate Ayush Varshney. The complaint stated that the signature on the debit voucher was forged. During the hearing, the Commission compared the signatures on the account opening form with those on the debit voucher and found that they did not match.
Bank Officials Held Responsible
The Commission found that the bank’s voucher-passing officer and branch manager approved the debit voucher without verifying the customer’s genuine signature. It also allowed the bank to recover the refunded amount from the salaries of the officials found responsible for the negligence.
Bank Ordered to Pay Compensation
The Consumer Commission has directed the Chairman of Prathama UP Gramin Bank to deposit ₹1,45,000 into the farmer’s account along with 7% annual interest from the date the complaint was filed. The payment must be made within two months. The bank must also pay ₹25,000 as compensation for the farmer’s mental and financial hardship and ₹5,000 towards legal expenses. If the payment is delayed beyond two months, the bank will have to pay interest at the rate of 9% per annum.
