के न्द्रीय सूचना आयोग Central Information Commission बाबा गंगनाथ मागग, मुननरका

Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka नई निल्ली, New Delhi – 110067 Second Appeal No : CIC/RBIND/A/2024/612044 Bipin Chandra Khanna .….अपीलक ( Bank of Baroda)

VERSUS बनाम The CPIO: Reserve Bank of India,, Mumbai ….प्रनर्वािीगण /Respondent Date of Hearing : 07.01.2026 Date of Interim Decision : 07.01.2026 INFORMATION COMMISSIONER : Khushwant Singh Sethi Relevant facts emerging from appeal:

RTI application filed on : 30-11-2023 CPIO replied on : 20-12-2023 First appeal filed on : 08-01-2024 First Appellate Authority’s : 20-02-2024 order

2nd Appeal/Complaint dated : 14.03.2024 Information sought:

1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 30-11-2023 seeking the following information:

“Please furnish the CERTIFIED COPY (as mandated in Circular No. 10/1/2019-IR dated 17 March, 2015, Issued by Government of India, Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pension, Department of Personal & Training, regarding Format for giving information to the Applicant under RTI Act)-

1. Copy (as defined U/s 2(f) of RTI Act) of the cases of non-compliance, as recorded in Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE 2021) of Bank of Baroda (conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2021), resulting into imposition of monetary penalty of 4.34 crore (Rupees Four crore and thirty-four lakhs only) on Bank of Baroda, as made known to public vide Press Release: 2023-2024/1354 dated 24.11.2023.

2. Copy of the notice (as defined U/s 2(f) of RTI Act) issued to Bank of Baroda, advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the directions, as stated therein and Bank's reply to the notice, and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, before coming to the conclusion that the charge of non- compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty as made known to public vide Press Release: 2023-2024/1354 dated 24.11.2023.

3. Copy of the records (as defined U/s 2(f) of RTI Act), evidencing the implementation /recovery of monetary penalty of 4.34 crore (Rupees Four crore and thirty-four lakhs only) from Bank of Baroda.

4. Copy of the other cases (as defined U/s 2(f) of RTI Act) of non- compliance, as recorded in subsequent Statutory Inspections (ISE 2022 and 2023) for Supervisory Evaluation of Bank of Baroda (conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022 and March

31, 2023 respectively).

5. Copy of the norms/ criteria (as defined U/s 2(f) of RTI Act), being followed by RBI for determining/ arriving at the quantum of monetary penalty vis-a vis the cases of non-compliance, as recorded in Statutory Inspections for Supervisory Evaluation, being conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31 of any financial year.

Additional submission To demonstrate that the information sought involves the aspect of larger public interest in the matter, Applicant would like to place on records as under-

a) Bank of Baroda is a financial institution, primarily engaged in accepting deposits from public on fixed rate of interest and lending the same to borrowers with a little higher rate (offered on deposits) of interest. In broader terms, excess of interest etc, earned on advances/ investments over the interest paid on deposits, is the profit earned /posted by Bank of Baroda.

b) Undoubtedly, the monetary penalty of ₹4.34 crore (Rupees Four crore and thirty-four lakhs only) is going to be paid from the overall profit earned /posted by Bank of Baroda, discussed in para no. a) above.

c) Need not to say, had the compliance of directions, as made known to public vide Press Release: 2023-2024/1354 dated 24.11.2023, been ensured by Bank of Baroda, chances of imposition of monetary penalty of ₹4.34 crore (Rupees Four crore and thirty-four lakhs only) would never have been there.

d) As a result, this amount 4,34 crore (Rupees Four crore and thir