Exams are always tough, even the Payment of Exam Fee is
Its August 24, 2013. I visited Indian Overseas Bank, Saidapet to deposit an Exam Fee towards University of Madras. I was told to stand in alternative queues, as if they (Bank employees) themselves are not sure, which counter is to pay the Exam Fee. After nearly 2 hours of wait, the bank staff advised me to pay the fee in some other branch, because of some server problem.
If its really server problem, they could have told earlier. Also, others are making money deposits. How come the server gets messed up so that only the Fee payment can’t be done. Also, If its really a server problem, how come someone pay in another branch. I doubt whether the Bank Staff is aware of the Fee payment procedure or not.
I then filed a Complaint in IOB Online redressal system… No response… Followed it up with Complaints to Chief Regional Manager & Principal Nodal Officer through mail; After which I was given response from Branch Manager that it is because of Server problem that the service is denied on that day. Unsatisfied with the genuinity of the response, I appealed to Chief Regional Manager against the resolution of Branch Manager vide Registered Letter.
Complaint closed without action due to lack of Evidence on our part
On October, The Chief Regional Manager closed the complaint stating the server movement was little slow, however all the customers’ requirement were met and he declared that there is no deficiency of service on the part of the branch.
The Cycle repeats itself
After around 6 months, in the month of April, I went to same branch to pay the exam fee again. This time I decided to videotape the series of events that are about to happen, since that would help me in our further efforts, if the service is not provided properly. This time I waited for an hour, approached different desks as suggested by the Bank Staffs, video taping with my mobile camera.
IOB Time Norms
Barbaric Behaviour of Bank Staffs
Unfortunately, the Bank Peon saw me video-taping and there started a big hassle. Most of the Bank Staffs rounded me and a heated argument started, followed by the bank staffs physically harassing me, pushing me down by a staff wearing black shirt and gray stripes and very unfortunately I even got a punch in the face.
Though I couldn’t continue videotaping after they try to snatch the phone from the hand, I strongly believe the whole incident could got recorded in the CCTV cameras installed inside the bank. I applied a RTI Application to get the copies of videos that are recorded in the CCTV cameras. Then I also sent a complaint to Bank Manager regarding the same on April 25, 2014. I received an acknowledgement from the Branch Manager on April 30, but no action has been taken.
Click here for more videos
Hence on May 4, 2014, I escalated the complaint to Regional Nodal officers and Central Nodal Officers.
Branch Manager & Assistant General Manager’s visit
The Bank Manager & Assistant General Manager visited me in home to compromise me on the issue and to close the complaints. They even accepted that I was physically harassed by the IOB staff, But told that they doesn’t know that I got punched by the IOB staff. I happened to record the whole conversation that I had with the Chief Manager and AGM. After the visit, I received a response from AGM that they assure they will provide the best service.
Since I was not satisfied with the response, I escalated the complaint to Banking Ombudsman via mail on April 30, 2014. And a detailed complaint with all necessary evidences, copy of older correspondences with the bank was sent on May 20, 2014 via Registered Post.
On June 25, 2014, Banking Ombudsman rejected our complaint for unreasonable grounds. So an appeal was made to the Appellate Authority (Deputy Governor) of Banking Ombudsman (copied to RBI Governor) on July 26, 2014. But the Appellate Authority rejected the appeal stating unjustifiable reasons. Due to the biased act of Banking Ombudsman (RBI), I made complaint to President of India, Ministry of Finance, Central Vigilance Commission, Central Bureau of Investigation, Directorate of Public Grievance (Cabinet Secretariat) for exposing their illegitimate decision.
Complaint to National Human Rights Commission
I also made a complaint (904/22/13/2014) to National Human Rights Commission for physical and mental harassment. It directed the Ministry of Finance to take appropriate action within 8 weeks and give intimation about the same in a letter dated June 23, 2014. Meanwhile we also sent a complaint with more details via mail on June 18, 2014.
Eight weeks passed and no response from Ministry of Finance. Hence we escalated the issue to the highest authorities of India, The President of India, Ministry of Finance, Cabinet Secretariat among others. The same day we received reply from Economic Adviser II, Ministry of Finance, requesting us to forward the complaint to Deputy Secretary and Economic Adviser I and provided us their mail IDs. Then we forwarded the complaint to them also, but till (October 1) no response.
For all the pressure we created over Ministry of Finance, I finally received a response from them. They quoted totally unexpected response from the Chief Regional Manager. Quoting the words of response here: “There is no human right violation in the incident but also it is a matter of harassment by the complainant i.e. Mr. S. Alexraj to cover up his misbehavior in the Bank premises in that date.” The response from the Chief Regional Manager was that I was photographing the lady staff members of the bank. They are openly trying to frame me to cover up their wrong doing.
Enquiry from J1 Saidapet Police Station
J1 Police station received direction from Commissioner Officer via DGP office, but we are not sure from where the complaint was forwarded to DGP Office. The direction was to take action and submit `action taken` report. On Sep 23, 2014, I was called by Special Sub Inspector (SSI) to enquire on the issue. I then went to Police Station and elaborated the issue to SSI. We are yet(Oct 1, 2014) to hear from Police.
I filed a RTI with DGP Office to get the action taken report submitted by the J1 saidapet police station on 15 Oct, 2014. This RTI was then forwarded to Commissioner office on 27 Oct, 2014. The same RTI was then forwarded to J1 saidapet police station and the Inspector of Police, J1 police station made a historic response in the history of RTI. The response was …
To teach the Inspector a strong lesson, we filed a complaint with Deputy Commissioner of Police and Commissioner of Police to take action against the J1 Inspector.
Hearing in Central Information Commission
We followed up the RTI (to get Video footage) with First Appeal on May 30, 2014 and Second Appeal on July 10, 2014. Central Information Commission summoned for hearing on September 8, 2015. The hearing was okay and the Information Commissioner, Shri Sharat Sabharwal announced to provide us the CCTV Footage citing the following reason: He don’t believe that the release of CCTV Footage of the public area of the bank would compromise any of its operation, in any case activities in the public area of the bank are open to the eyes of all the persons visiting the bank, which he already cited in CIC/VS/A2013/000889/SH.
We were happy about the announcement of Information Commissioner and was eagerly waiting to see the CCTV footage to prove the guilty of Bank employees.
After Couple of days, on September 14, 2015, We received the order from CIC. Very unfortunately, it was mentioned in the order that the `CCTV Footage` need not to be given, which is in direct conflict with what the Information Commissioner announced. We are wondering if it is the Information Commissioner who drafted this conflicting order or any other authority under him, who drafted in this way without the awareness of the Information Commissioner.
In any case, we are intimating the conflict between Announcement and Order to the Information Commissioner through Email. And also, we are filing a review before CIC, on the order passed by the Information Commissioner.
PS: The exam, for which I went to pay the fee and the whole issue started, was cleared with good marks.
Link to Original RTI and Documents
Current Status: Waiting for Justice
Unfortunate incident, and a very good approach. Like!
Great work! I like your determination which most people lacking
Kudos Subhash Gandhi & Team Grayfaceofindia for your efforts. Yes banks are always given that extra leash to decide and deliver what they please. The struggle is evident in type of laggard attitude shown towards students education Loan. Mr. Srinivasan, formerly a banker himself is finding it difficult to address the grievances in genuine student loan disbursal.
Great work !!!!You guys inspire me with your approach..
IOB is worst in providing services and customer care they hardly act on complaints.i have been writing mails for last six months regarding the ATM in my apartment building which is not working most of the times forcing the customers to use other bank ATMs and pay undue charges .the ac never worked as there is pile of dust on the acs which ensure that they dint work since ages but the vendor inspection report finds the ATM and the acs in perfect condition.I sent the pictures also to all the concerned offices. No one has bothered even to give a call back to me till date.
ATM 9525 at Indirapuram branch in Ghaziabad , Uttar Pradesh.
Sir this is DR.P.RAJA from Erode city of Tamilandu,who had and having various accounts and loans in IOB,Erode main branch from 2005 onwards and given a transaction of more than 10 crores for more than 6 years,but now the problem which i am facind due to IOB of same branch is not explainable and everything was listed below,this is mainly to prevent every other customers who are greatly affected due to the iob banks through out the country,if this happens to a doctor in profession who is doing transaction of more than 10 crores yearly,then no need to think about any of the ordinary customers in india,if they can prove the datas given below is false then they can file a case against at any grievience law,otherwise i have all rights to do the same.
FIRST I LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS HAPPENNED FROM THE DAY ONE OF MY CARRIER AND HOWTHE IOB IS CHEATED ME..
1. I have completed my higher studies in radiology (DMRD) in chidambaram during end of 2002.
2.I have joined as consultant in erode KMCH hospital during the mid of 2003 and worked thier as full time consultant for next 4 years.
3.During 2005,when the reliance entered into oil industry and planned to open many of thier petrol bunk retail outlets,hence at that time i have taken the dealership of reliance with petrol,diesel and auto lpg,which i am the first person to started autolpg in tamilnadu,at that time due to time issue i have resigned my full time job in erode kmch hospital and started working as part time consultant for some time,then i resigned my job completely and started consentrating in my petrol bunk and i was the highest seller in erode at that time.
4.Reliance company itself arranged a loan for every dealer with tri partiate agreement with the least interest rate of 60 paise based on the availability of every bunks investment,for our bunk we have taken 92 lakhs as term loan and 25 lacks as cc loan.After couple of years when the subsidy problems raised from government,the private oil companies were not able to supply the goods constantly for the prices of other government oil companies,hence reliance advised their dealers to release them from tri-partiate agreement to bi-partiate ,because most of the dealers were not repaid the loans regularly due to the stoppage of sales,other than 5 dealers in tamilnadu,which we are one of the dealer repaying regularly even without the sales,at that time our oustanding is only 45 lakhs in term loan..
5. If we come out from tri-partiate agreement,then the interest rates comes to regular rates,hence the chief manager of iob MR.palanisamy asked us to come to thier iob main branch along with the other loan ,which was availed for our other buisness ,bajaj 3 wheeler exclusive auto dealderships for 6 districts,which we had more than 5 showrooms in tamilnadu.
6. After taking over all the loans, one day he called and asked me that there is a deficit of 10 lacks to achieve his targets for his insurance of that year ,which most of the iob bank managers now-a-days duty is only to catch the insurance,deposits and to sell golds,did anyone of them can say no.Then i told him that i dont have money at that time because of closure of reliance sales and having only 15 lacks to take auto rickshaw loads and he pegged me that somehow he has to achieve his target of that year,so he told that he will deduct 10 lacks of money from my account and within couple of days he will provide a loan of 8,40,000,so that they will deduct every month from my account and the loan will be closed within next 2 years and the insurance of 10 lacks remain for u he said,and he forced to purchase a gold too.due to the friendship i agreed to do so and he did the same and i availed a loan of 8,40,000 from my money itself and purchased gold too.
7. He was not kept his promise,he deducted the first installment on very next day for the loan provided by him from my insurance deposits,then second deduction was done only after 4 months of first installment,then again he deduct the third installment after 3 months only,like this it was continued for next 1 year,but till end of closing that loan was charged additional interest by them for every month,which i enclosed now now.Then i have taken a car loan of around 5 lacks before palanisamy got transferred along with promotion to Hong kong ,then the next chief manager who was taken over is govardhanan from hyderabad totally forget this loan or not aware of this loan ,which is deliberately his mistake and starting deducting both the loans once in a while when ever they remembers,how a customer will be responsible for that,if there is no money in customers account ok. otherwise how customer will be responsible.but they deducted the over due interest every month from my account for the mistake which they have done. For both the loans the way they deducted was enclosed along with this mail.
8. In my bajaj dealership account the cc loan which was taken is 3 crores as cc loan with the interest rate of 12.5%,it means you can calculate how much the interest has to be charged every month,likeky around 1,30,00,000,initially they were deducting the same but after some period they started deducting more than 4,40,00,000,even if you are richest person in india will not be possible to pay and run a buisness,due to my accountant negligence and unavailability of enough time to check it properly every month they were deducted the said,which i have enough proof with me,later on when i checked and repeated letter submitted to them,they are ready to accepted that and not refunded it to us.Hence finally without any other way to go i have sent a legal notice to them,they called me one day when there DGM visited thier RM office and advised me to take back the legal action and they will sanction the new loan which was already about to sanction in canara bank and they have sent a letter to get a credit opinion for sanctioning a loan of around 8 crores for my new medical venture.But the only condition which they told me is to withdraw the legal action and the additional interest which was charged will not give back because their auditing of that year was over,i accepted for that too.at that time one of thier photographer was continously taking a snaps of me when i was inside regional mangaer room,later i asked him why u r taking so many snaps,he replied that there is a instructions to do so,but one thing they forgott,when i am going as a indidual person in to their room with what are all safetys i would have carried along with me at that time.i have the entire recordings of that interactions happened in that room.Finally after their work everything gets over ,which they took around more than 5 months,which they made me to run behind them as a beggar,finally after getting their works they rejected my loans,even i dont bother about it but the following things which they made to run behind every bankers now is hurted me a lot ,even as reputed doctor in a place like erode city.
8. The default which they made in deducting from the loan which was given from my insurance amount to get promotion for them and the car loan which was deducted irregularly by them,both now was reflected in sibil,which was affected my reputed carrier.
9. Finally last week around 20th of this month sep 2014,when i approached the chief manager who was appointed from hyderabad,replied me sir there there is no issue now we produce a letter stating that your loans are cleared and there is no default in your both the accounts,i dontt know what he is trying to tell that,i should take the certificate which they are issuing now and i should tell each and every bank,it means almost more than 10 banks were and all we are given our profile that we should go and tell them that we are not culprit,we are genuine,we dont have any default ,.and we should peg them,hence please issue us the loan.May be they are used to it but we are not.Now tell me what should i do. i am in final stage to take it up the same to every media within 3 days which i am not getting any solution for my hurt.
Sir every thing is in your hand i need solution for me within a period of 3 days that is till 28th of this sep 2014 ,otherwise i am sorry i will send it all the medias and reserve bank of India the same without fail .