The request of a director who was 25% shareholder in the company seeking details of the bank account was denied - Bank: awaiting an authority letter from the company in favour of director - CIC: provide information only on receipt of letter of authority
10 Jan, 2014O R D E R
RTI application
1. The appellant filed a RTI application with the PIO on 31.1.2012 for information about an account. The CPIO responded on 17.2.2012. The appellant filed his appeal with the first appellate authority (FAA). The FAA upheld the reply of PIO on 4.4.2012. The appellant approached the Commission on 8.11.2012 in second appeal.
Hearing
2. The appellant’s representative and the respondent participated in the hearing through video conferencing.
3. The appellant’s representative referred to the RTI application of 31.1.2012 and stated that the respondent bank has, without any application of mind, referred to him as ‘third party’ and denied the information that he had sought regarding an entity in which he is a 25% share holder. The appellant stated that he is a director of the company and that the RTI application was seeking information about certain balance sheet, insurance charges, cash credit limits and information about the alleged misappropriation.
4. The respondent stated that the bank had denied the information to the appellant by a letter of 17.2.2012 on the plea of third party information. The respondent stated that it seems that there is a family dispute and that the appellant is a brother of the person who is running the entity. The respondent stated that they have no intention to withhold any information, but are awaiting an authority letter from the company in favour of the appellant to provide the information.
Decision
5. The respondent is directed to provide the information to the appellant within 30 days on the condition of receipt of the requisite letter of authority. The appeal is disposed of. Copy of the decision be given free of cost to both the parties.
(Vijai Sharma)
Information Commission
Citation: Shri Narain Thirumurthy v. Union Bank of India in Decision No. CIC/VS/A/2013/000281/05635