Thiruvananthapuram: Suresh Kumar on Friday withdrew Rs20,000 (Dh1,343) from an ATM of State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest bank, at Alappuzha, the Kerala town famous for backwater tourism and boat race, for booking a new car.
The shocked youth found that 14 of the total 20 Rs1000-denomination notes were torn and soiled. Some torn notes were stuck together with sellotape.
He rushed to the bank branch next door. The manager said the service of filling the chest of the ATM had been outsourced by the bank and the bank was not responsible if an ATM dispenses torn or counterfeit notes.
In quick succession, two other customers dashed into the manager's cabin with the same complaint. The manager then changed his tone and told them that only the main branch in the town was authorised to exchange the notes, and he sent them to the branch, nearly three kilometres away, in a bank vehicle.
But the cash officer at the main branch declined to help. He advised them to approach the "respective branch'' under which the ATM was installed. Despite several pleas, the officer stuck to his stand.
Finally, they got a call from the town branch manager who said the notes would be exchanged. The trio then rushed to the branch and received good notes.
They were lucky that they could exchange the spoiled notes only because it happened during the working hours of the bank. Otherwise they would have to prove that the notes were dispensed by the ATM, which is impossible.
The shocked youth found that 14 of the total 20 Rs1000-denomination notes were torn and soiled. Some torn notes were stuck together with sellotape.
He rushed to the bank branch next door. The manager said the service of filling the chest of the ATM had been outsourced by the bank and the bank was not responsible if an ATM dispenses torn or counterfeit notes.
In quick succession, two other customers dashed into the manager's cabin with the same complaint. The manager then changed his tone and told them that only the main branch in the town was authorised to exchange the notes, and he sent them to the branch, nearly three kilometres away, in a bank vehicle.
But the cash officer at the main branch declined to help. He advised them to approach the "respective branch'' under which the ATM was installed. Despite several pleas, the officer stuck to his stand.
Finally, they got a call from the town branch manager who said the notes would be exchanged. The trio then rushed to the branch and received good notes.
They were lucky that they could exchange the spoiled notes only because it happened during the working hours of the bank. Otherwise they would have to prove that the notes were dispensed by the ATM, which is impossible.
