O R D E R

(09.08.2021)

1. The issues under consideration arising out of the second appeal dated nil include non-receipt of the following information raised by the appellant through her RTI application dated 03.02.2019 and first appeal dated 08.03.2019:-

(i) Number of times account no ####4403 in the name of Smt.Vishamberi Devi is been freezed by the bank since July 2014 to till date along with reason due which its been freezed.

(ii) Whether any reminder is being sent to the customer before and after freezing the above account during the above mentioned tenure. if yes, provide copy along with dispatch details. If no, reason for non compliance of circular RBI/2012-13/55 UBD.BPD. (PCB). MC.No. 16/12.05.001/2012-13.

(iii) Copy of the account opening form of above account and date on which aadhar is been feeded in the above account.

(iv) Whether any discrepancy is observed in the above account during internal and external inspection or any other inspection since July 2014. If yes, steps taken for its resolution along with copy of reminders forwarded to customer for compliance.

(v) Number of times presented clearing cheque for debit is being returned in the above account since opening along with the reason for returning of the cheque. Whether customer was informed about returning of cheque, if the reason for returning is Account Block.

(vi) Total number of accounts being freezed and appeared in STR report since 2015 by Ashok Vihar B23 Branch and whether customers were informed. If yes, provide copy along with dispatch details of reminders.

2. Succinctly facts of the case are that the appellant filed an application dated 03.02.2019 under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), Punjab National Bank, New Delhi, seeking aforesaid information. The CPIO vide letter dated 01.03.2019 replied to the appellant. Dissatisfied with that, the appellant filed first appeal dated 08.03.2019. The First Appellate Authority vide order dated 06.04.2019 disposed of the first appeal. Aggrieved by that, the appellant filed a second appeal dated nil before this Commission which is under consideration.

3. The appellant has filed the instant appeal dated nil inter alia on the grounds that reply given by the CPIO was not satisfactory; that no reason for freezing of accounts was provided by the respondent; that no reason was provided for not following the directive issued by the RBI. The appellant requested the Commission to direct the CPIO to provide the complete information and take necessary action as per Section 20 (1) of the RTI Act.

4. The CPIO vide letter dated 01.03.2019 replied against point no. 1 of the RTI application that in 2017, the account was blocked/freezed and that the information regarding freezing of the account was sought from HO, ITD as the same was not available at Branch level, for the second time, the account was freezed on 09.01.2019 because the account was not KYC complaint as per the bank’s extant guidelines; againt point no 2 of the RTI application it was informed that no specific reminder was sent to the account holder before freezing the account on 09.01.2019, however, regular SMSs were sent by the bank at the registered mobile number of the account holders for submission of KYC documents to the bank and also public notices were published by the bank in daily newspapers viz Dainik Jagaran, Nav Bharat Times, Times of India and Hindustan Times on 26.08.2018 and 6.12.2019;against point no. 3 it was informed that copy of account opening form of the account was provided and the Adhaar number of Smt. Vishambari Devi had been feeded in the account on 15.02.2019; against point no. 4 it was informed that no discrepancies were observed in the account as per inspection report of the said branch since July 2014; that against point no. 5 it was informed that information regarding status of all inward cheques during on 01.07.2014 to 27.02.2019 was provided, however, bank sent SMS alerts to the cus