Central Information Commission
Appeal No.CIC/SM/C/2009/00103-SM dated 27.5.2008
Right to Information Act-2005-Under Section (19)
Dated 23.02.2009
Complainant : Shri Dinesh Dhanai
Respondent : State Bank of India
The Complainant is present.
On behalf of the Respondents, the following are present:-
(i) Shri Anil Kumar Baheti, Manager (Law)
(ii) Shri Dharmendra Kumar, Manager
The brief facts of the case are as under.
2. The Complainant had requested the CPIO in a letter dated 27 May 2008 for
details about a specific fixed deposit account which was in the name of his late father. He
received no response from the CPIO neither within the stipulated period not thereafter.
He has filed a complaint before us against the total lack of response on the part of the
CPIO.
3. During the hearing, he argued that had the information been given to him within
the time limit, it would have been of great use to him in his dispute against his brother.
By not providing the information, he submitted, the Bank had done great injustice to him.
The Respondent submitted that the information had not been given because the request
for information had been misplaced. The explanation is not acceptable. We would like to
direct the CPIO concerned to explain to us within 10 working days from the receipt of
this order as to why a penalty of Rs 25000 be not imposed on him for wilful and
deliberate denial of information as per Section 20 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
If his explanation is not received within the above time limit, we will decide the penalty
ex parte. Besides, we also direct the CPIO to provide the information to the Complainant
in respect of encashment of the said fixed deposit receipt within five working days from
the receipt of this order.
4. With the above directions, we dispose off the complaint.
5. Copies of this order be given free of cost to the parties.
Sd/-
(Satyananda Mishra)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy. Additional copies of orders shall be supplied against
application and payment of the charges prescribed under the Act to the CPIO of this
Commission.
(Vijay Bhalla)
Assistant Registrar