SBI fined Rs 85,000 after it misread Kannada numeral on cheque, dishonoured it

Dharwad, Sep 8: A State Bank of India branch has been fined Rs 85,177 by the Dharwad District Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum for dishonouring a cheque after failing to properly recognise a Kannada numeral on it.

Vadirajacharya Inamdar issued an SBI cheque for Rs 6,000 to Hubli Electricity Supply Company Limited (HESCOM) towards his electricity bill on September 3, 2020.

HESCOM had its account in Canara Bank and therefore the cheque was sent to the SBI branch at Haliyal in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka for clearance. The cheque was filled in Kannada including the numerals.

The SBI branch in Haliyal wrongly identified the Kannada numeral nine as six and, therefore, dishonoured the cheque. The numeral nine indicated the month of September, but the bank read it as June.

Inamdar, an English lecturer in the Government PU College in Hubballi, approached the Consumer Forum with his complaint. On Wednesday, the Forum consisting of President Ishappa Bhute and members V A Bolishetti and P C Hiremath found the SBI deficient in its service and imposed the cost.