Squash ace Dipika Pallikal wins court match with bank

Arjuna awardee squash champion Dipika Pallikal yesterday won her long-drawn legal match against Axis Bank in a consumer court here

Chennai: Arjuna awardee squash champion Dipika Pallikal yesterday won her long-drawn legal match against Axis Bank in a consumer court here.


Dipika Pallikal 

Holding Axis Bank responsible for deficient service, the consumer court ordered the bank to pay a compensation of Rs 500,000 to Pallikal as well as Rs 5,000 towards costs.

Pallikal had sued the bank for humiliation and loss of reputation after her debit card transaction did not go through at a Rotterdam hotel in 2011 despite she having sufficient balance in her account.

On learning about it, players from other countries made some remarks about her creditworthiness and also about India. Pallikal, however, had another card - that of DCB Bank - and paid the hotel with that.

Soon after the incident, Axis Bank did not credit Pallikal's account with the Rs 100,000 cheque she had deposited and returned the cheque to her with remark "not drawn on us."

The cheque was given by the Indian government for her achievement in the sporting arena and making the country proud. Later, the Axis did credit the amount, saying the instrument was returned due to technical error.

Upset at the callous attitude of Axis Bank, Pallikal filed a case in the consumer court here in 2012.

Reacting to the consumer court's award yesterday, Pallikal said: "This is a victory for the consumers of India. It reaffirms our faith in consumer courts. It will motivate other consumers who are wronged by service providers to stand up and fight for justice."

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