NCDRC directs SBI to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation for losing title deed
Apex consumer commission NCDRC has directed State Bank of India to pay Rs 5 lakh as compensation to a customer for failing to return him the title deeds of his property which was deposited with the bank against a loan. Kolkata resident Amitesh Mazumder had taken a loan of Rs 13.5 lakh from SBI against the title deed of the property which was not returned to him even after repaying the loan amount in full. The bank admitted that the loan had been paid by Mazumder but said that the title deeds were not traceable. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) observed that without the title deed, the customer would not get the true market value of the property nor will any bank give him a loan in the future. "No one in the market will agree to purchase an immovable property on payment of its prevailing market value if he knows that the original title deed of the property will not be delivered to him by the seller. "If the complainant decides to take a loan against the property, he will not be able to get a ready lender in the market unless the title deeds of the property are deposited. In fact, even a bank may be unwilling to give a loan against an immovable property unless the title deeds of the property are deposited with it," NCDRC presiding member V K Jain said. The commission upheld the order of the West Bengal State Consumer Commission which had directed SBI to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation and litigation cost of Rs 30,000 to Mazumder.
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