Rich Over A Glitch! Surat Man Goes To Withdraw Rs 10,000 From ATM, Wins Rs 3 Lakh 9 Years Later | Here's How

Surat: A man, who went to an ATM to withdraw ₹10,000 from an ATM in Gujarat, has ended up getting ₹3.28 lakh after a wait of nine long years! A consumer court in Surat has directed Bank of Baroda to pay ₹3.28 lakh as compensation to the man after failing to resolve an ATM withdrawal issue that arose following an alleged technical glitch.

Here's What Happened

On February 18, 2017, the customer had gone to an SBI ATM in Udhna to withdraw ₹10,000. He is said to have entered his PIN after inserting his card in the machine, which, however, did not dispense any cash. Even a receipt was not printed. Despite this, the man received a message that ₹10,000 has been debited from his account.

The customer filed a written complaint with the Bank of Baroda branch shortly after the incident. However, the bank neither reversed the amount within the stipulated time nor provided any proof of a successful transaction.

He also sought CCTV footage of the transaction through an RTI request to the State Bank of India (SBI). When the issue remained unresolved, he approached the consumer forum in December 2017, seeking a refund along with compensation and interest. Both Bank of Baroda and SBI were named in the case.

Court Fighting

During the proceedings, Bank of Baroda argued that the transaction occurred at an SBI ATM and therefore responsibility lay with SBI. The bank claimed it had requested CCTV footage from SBI but did not receive any response. SBI, however, did not appear before the court.

The court rejected this defence, stating that it was the issuing bank’s responsibility to resolve the matter and provide evidence. It observed that the customer should not suffer due to lapses between banks and that strong proof of a successful withdrawal was necessary.

The court noted that the bank could not prove that the transaction had been successfully completed.

Breakdown Of Compensation

Referring to RBI guidelines, which mandate reversal of failed ATM transactions within five days and impose a penalty of ₹100 per day for delays, the court calculated the compensation at ₹3,28,800 for 3,288 days of delay. 

1. Original Amount Refund- The bank has to refund the original amount of Rs 10,000 to the man with 9% annual interest.
2. Compensation For Delay- The man will get Rs 3,28,800 as compensation for the delay. He is entitled to Rs 100 per every day the amount was delayed.
3. Mental Harassment-The bank will pay him Rs 3,000 for mental harassment
4. Legal Charges- The man will receive Rs 2,000 for the legal expenses he incurred due to the case.

The bank has been asked to pay the amount within 30 days.

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