Mr. Justice N.K. Jain, President—This appeal is by opposite parties-the Allahabad Bank and its officers who have been directed to pay to respondent-complainant a sum of Rs. 2,00,000 with interest and cost, by District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Bhopal vide order dated 23.2.2004 in Case No. 423/2000.

2. The aforesaid amount has been awarded on the finding that the appellant-bank was deficient in its service in the matter of providing due protection to the locker hired by respondent from the appellant. It is no more in dispute that on 18.5.1998 when the respondent came to operate the locker and put his key in the locker in presence of appellant’s representative Mr. Mohanlal Verma, it was found that the locker had already been opened and its lock was missing altogether. The locker was totally empty. Earlier the locker was operated by the complainant on 18.1.1997. Obviously the locker was tampered and its lock removed on or after 18.1.1997 and before 18.5.1998. A report of the incident was lodged by the complainant with the appellant-bank as also with the local police (PS Habibganj) the same day. The complainant also provided list of stolen ornaments which he claimed were k