A Delhi man who lost Rs 80,000 in unauthorised transactions after his State Bank of India (SBI) debit card got stuck in an ATM is finally being refunded. SBI has also been ordered to pay a Rs 15,000 fine after taking nearly 10 months and legal intervention to resolve the issue.
According to a report by The Indian Express, a district consumer disputes commission found SBI deficient in service for the delay and directed the bank to pay Rs 15,000 to the complainant for mental agony and litigation costs in an order dated June 2.
The complainant, Sanjay Mishra, said the trouble began on January 13, 2024, when he attempted to withdraw Rs 10,000 from a Punjab National Bank ATM using his SBI debit card at around 2:15 pm. The card became stuck in the machine and could not be retrieved despite repeated attempts. He said he contacted the assistance number displayed inside the booth; the person who answered, he alleged, claimed to be a PNB help‑centre employee and instructed him to press “clear” and pull the card out. The card remained trapped.
Shortly after leaving the ATM, Mishra received SMS alerts for two withdrawals of Rs 5,000 each. He immediately contacted SBI to block the card and reported the incident to the police and cybercrime authorities. When he returned to the booth, he found the assistance number removed and a security guard present. Mishra alleged the card slot looked damaged, with portions missing and suspected a skimming device had been installed; he also voiced suspicion about the guard’s role.
Multiple unauthorised transactions
Sanjay Mishra later learned from SBI that as many as 12 transactions, including point‑of‑sale charges, had been executed from his account, though he received alerts only for the first two. He lodged complaints with the banking ombudsman and SBI in January and submitted the prescribed complaint form along with supporting documents on February 9, 2024. Despite repeated follow‑ups, his grievance remained unresolved, prompting him to approach the district consumer commission for relief, the Indian Express report added.
Commission finds delay amounted to deficiency in service
The commission, bench comprising president Monika A Srivastava and member Kiran Kaushal, noted that the principal amount dispute was ultimately resolved when SBI credited Rs 80,000 back to Mishra’s account on December 7, 2024, almost 10 months after the fraud was reported. The commission took particular note of the bank’s delayed action and observed that, despite due notice, no one appeared for SBI; the matter proceeded ex parte in April 2025.
“This commission finds OP (State Bank of India) to be deficient in service to the extent that though the amount withdrawn fraudulently was refunded to the complainant, the same was refunded after a delay of about 10 months, that too after the complainant had approached this commission,” the order said, directing SBI to pay Rs 15,000 to the complainant “towards compensation for mental agony and litigation costs.”
Money, trust and procedure
The case highlights the financial and emotional toll of payment‑card fraud and the importance of rapid bank response. While the full principal was returned, the protracted delay forced the customer to pursue legal redress to recover funds and damages, adding litigation expenses and stress. The commission’s ruling emphasises that timely remediation is part of the service banks must provide to maintain consumer trust.
SBI was directed to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation and costs in addition to the earlier refund; the commission’s order serves as a reminder that banks may be held liable not only for fraud losses but also for lapses in grievance redressal and delays in refunding customers. The decision could encourage customers facing similar delays to seek consumer‑forum relief rather than prolonged follow‑ups with financial institutions.