Private Bank Gets Rs. 15,000 Fine in Faulty ATM Case From 2019

A consumer protection court has fined a private bank after ruling in favor of a citizen who faced inconvenience due to a faulty ATM in Karachi, 24News reported Saturday.

The court ordered the bank to pay Rs. 15,000 in compensation to the complainant for mental distress and loss of time caused by the incident.

According to the petitioner, the incident took place in 2019 when he tried to withdraw cash from an ATM.

The machine allegedly failed to dispense the cash and also retained his bank card. The complainant said the incident caused inconvenience and embarrassment.

During the hearing, the court noted that the withdrawn amount and service charges had already been refunded to the customer.

However, it ruled that the ATM’s malfunction and seizure of the card still amounted to a deficiency in service.

The court also rejected the private bank’s objections regarding jurisdiction. It held that the customer was entitled to compensation despite receiving the refund.

In its verdict, the court said the bank must compensate the petitioner for the mental agony and time wasted because of the faulty ATM.