Submitted by: tallyarch
Complaint Details:
I am operating a current account with HDFC bank since November 2015. Also i am using a HDFC Credit card (which is in the blocked status since June 2016 and I am being updated about the blocked status of this card only today, whereas the payments are collected from my end in June and in Sep 2016) which was taken much earlier to opening of this current account. Untill last week, I have received calls for making payments of minimum amount due on this card and which i was suppose to make on 30 November 2016 with the credit card team.
But suddenly the credit card team has marked a lien on my current account for an amount of RS. 96, 500 approx. I think blocking my current account is illegal and has scuttled my business activity. I am unable to honor cheque payment against the cheque already issued by me against my current account and also to pay salaries to my employees. I am shocked to note when these guys kept calling me for payments untill last week, none of them told me about the card being blocked and today i am being told by Deepali from collections team that even when you will make the full payment against this card, your card will not get activated as the same is in the permanent blocked statge.
While opening the current account, i am being asked for different set of documents as the legal entity holding the current account with hdfc is different and its not in my name whereas the credit card is in my name only.
I refer a earlier supreme court judgement in the case Purewal & Associates Vs Punjab National Bank on 9, March 1992 the bench has clearly stated ” the respondent bank may not deny banking facilities for operation of a current account to enable them to keep their business going” it also states ” so as to enable the appellant to carry on its normal day to day business transactions, to enable payment of salaries, taxes, raw materials etc which are the usual business requirements of a manufacturing unit.
1). I request someone from HDFC bank to look into this issue as Deepali from collections team also read out the HDFC bank’s terms and conditions for marking lien for me and even those does not mention about charging lien on customers current account specifically. I do understand that you might charge lien on current account as well untill and unless the lien is charged customers current account where the name of the current account and the name of the credit card is same i.e. in the case of 2 separate legal entities you can not initiate a charge of lien on current account where the name of account holder is different.
2) I have not been notified about the lien process earlier by bank in any manner i.e. sms, email or physical correspondence. I do understand this for saving account but not against current account as it is in different legal entity name.
3) I also learned from Deepali that the amount is kept on hold in the current account and not used for “set off” against the credit card overdues. So untill and unless i make full payment the amount will be kept on hold and will not get set off against my credit card. So the bank will still keep charging interest on overdues of my card and will keep charging lien on my current account, how can this be justified for the amount which is kept on hold by you and which is not getting used by either urself as setoff against the card or even being used by me. While you will continue to charge interest on the outstanding amount, what happens on my interest for the amount being held by you.
Please help me resolve this issue
The cust id is 64564554. Do call me on my registered mobile number if you need further clarification on this.
