ICIC Bank fined for causing credit card 'agony'

Ahmedabad: The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum here has directed ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited to credit an amount of Rs 19,049.08 in the savings bank account of one of its account holders, Kanayal Khatwani, along with seven per cent interest on the amount from the date the amount was debited from his account.

The company has also been ordered to refund him Rs 2,210 illegally recovered from him, along with seven per cent interest from the date of recovery until payment. The forum also directed Healthcops, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd. and ICICI Bank’s credit card division to pay Khatwani, jointly and severally, Rs 2,000 each for mental agony and Rs 2,000 towards litigation cost.

ICICI Bank had issued Khatwani a credit card in February 2005. On February 16, 2007, he was telephonically offered a healthcare policy free for two years, after which it would be chargeable. He accepted the offer...these were debited from his savings bank account. In July 2008, Khatwani and Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS) filed a case with forum and the latter recently issued the order in favour of Khatwani.