Can an Individual Account Holder ask details for other account holders?
5 Dec, 2011Background
The applicant sought information about one particular self-help group along with the details he wants to inspect the records of other account holders also of the district. The PIO provided some details of the particular self group and denied for the other group inquiry. The Appellate Authority endorsed the decision of the PIO.
View of the CIC
The applicant was absent during the video conferencing. He had claimed that some fraud had been detected in the account of certain self-help groups in one branch of the bank when the ADC (Dev) of the district had inspected those accounts. The applicant desired to inspect the accounts of all other self-help groups of the district in order to find out if any such fraud had been committed by others also. The Commission observed that the account detail of a customer including a self help group is held by the bank in commercial confidence. In terms of the provisions of subsection 1(d) of Section 8 of the RTI Act, such information is not to be ordinarily disclosed. The CIC disposed off the appeal accordingly.
Comments
Mere suspicion on the part of the information seeker that fraud might have been committed in the accounts is no ground to inspect the other person’s records.
Citation: Shri. Gurdial Sharma v. Punjab National Bank in File No: CIC/SM/A/2011/000004