What happens when Rs 10,000 disappears from your bank account but the ATM gives you nothing? For one Surat resident, the answer came nearly nine years later — in the form of a payout of over Rs three lakh. The case began in February 2017, when the man in Surat's Udhna area visited an SBI ATM to withdraw Rs 10,000. The machine did not dispense any cash, nor did it generate a receipt. Yet, within seconds, he received an SMS alert confirming that Rs 10,000 had been debited from his account.
Also Read: How To Protect Yourself From ATM Scams? Here Are Eight Best Practices
He reported the issue to Bank of Baroda's Dumbhal branch on February 21 and filed a complaint soon after. What followed was a long period of waiting. Despite repeated visits to the branch and several emails, the amount was not credited back. As per banking rules, such failed transactions must be reversed within five days — but in this case, that did not happen.
With no response, the customer escalated the matter to higher authorities and filed an RTI application to obtain CCTV footage from the ATM operator to prove that no cash had been dispensed. However, his efforts did not bring any result.
Left with no option, he approached the consumer court in December 2017. During the hearing, the bank argued that the ATM belonged to another bank and that its system showed the transaction as successful. The consumer commission, however, was not convinced. It held that the bank could not escape responsibility and must prove that the cash was actually delivered — something it failed to do.
The commission also noted that the delay in resolving the complaint was far beyond the allowed time.
Also Read: New ATM Rules Effective April 1: Revised Limits And Charges — What Customers Should Know
In its final order, the commission directed the bank to refund Rs 10,000 with interest. It also imposed a penalty of Rs 100 per day for the delay. By February 2026, the delay had crossed more than 3,200 days. This pushed the total compensation to around Rs 3.28 lakh, along with additional amounts for mental distress and legal costs.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
