Chandigarh
Terming it as yet another instance where the hard-earned money of the consumers was being eaten into by the service providers, District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum directed Axis Bank and Bajaj Allianz Insurance Company to jointly pay Rs 25,000 as compensation. Axis Bank is in the dock for forcing the premium of an insurance policy on the complainant towards his credit card account, although he never asked for it. Ripudaman Singh alleged that he had got a credit card from Axis Bank on December 7, 2007 but never used the same. He, however, received an account statement from Axis Bank for the period between December 18, 2007 and February 15, 2008. The statement mentioned that Singh had to pay Rs 4,167 for the purchase of a Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Health Cover Policy for Rs 2 lakh. Alleging that he had not purchased the policy, Singh filed a complaint with the bank. He said that he also received threatening calls and kept on receiving account statements for the next six months, after which, he moved the forum. Axis Bank, in its reply said insurance policy is issued only after receiving a request from the customer or after an agreement and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance company, against whose name the policy was issued, maintains a video record of the same. They also denied receiving any complaint. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company submitted that the insurance was extended on the instructions of Axis Bank. They added that after receiving a request from the complainant for discontinuation of the policy, the entire amount was refunded and the policy cancelled. The forum said: “It is a pity that even without any proposal from the complainant or its acceptance by any of the opposite parties, the amount of Rs 4,167 was deducted and debited to the credit card account of the complainant.”
