JUDGMENT :

Basanti Devi, Member

1. United- Puri Nimapara Central Co-operative Bank Limited, represented by its Secretary, who is the opposite party in CD. Case No. 229 of 1998, has filed this appeal challenging the order dated 18.06.2004 of the District Forum, Puri directing the said Bank to pay to the complainant rupees one lakh towards the maturity value of 20 Nos. of destroyed I.V.P. and rupees 500/ - towards cost of litigation.

2. The case of the complainant/Respondent in brief is that the complainant availed facility of locker No. 9 from the Appellant Bank on annual rent in the year 1994. The master key of the locker was with the Officer-In-Charge of the locker and the other key was with the complainant. Unless both the keys are used, in no circumstance the locker would be opened. The complainant had kept gold ornaments, bank documents, postal receipts and twenty numbers of Indira Vikas Patras, in short, I.V. Ps bearing Nos, from 28C-539102 to 28C-539121. The maturity value of each of the I.V.P. is rupees 5000/ - and the total maturity value of all the I.V. Ps on 06.01.2000 is rupees one lakh (Rs. 1,00,000/- ). On 29.11.1996 when the complainant and the then Officer-in-Charge of