Unpaid NSC dues? Here’s hope

“The Chief Post Master or its authorities could not have frozen the account to stop the payment of the amount of the matured NSCs to the complainant. The payment for its purchase was made in cash to the authorised agent who misused the amount. He cannot be held responsible for the same,” the Forum bench,comprising President B B Chaudhary and member M Siddiqui,said.

A Delhi resident,Vidya Bhushan Gupta had approached the Forum seeking directions to the concerned authorities to release the maturity amount and Rs two lakh as compensation for causing mental tension and litigation charges.

“In the present case,the Chief Post Master acted through the agent and received the money and issued NSCs as is evident from its issuance. The complainant cannot be denied the benefit of his maturity amount of NSCs because of the alleged fraud committed by the agent,” the Forum said.

Allowing the complaint,the Forum said “The amount was payable on March 31,2006,for a sum of Rs 85,104 but because of non-payment of the amount,Gupta had to enter into various correspondence with the Chief Post Master and has suffered financial losses as well as harassment and mental agony. It is a case of deficiency of service.”