Harassment of a beneficiary of education loan by a bank

The National Human Rights Commission has taken cognizance of a complaint alleging harassment of an education loan beneficiary and her family by the Central Bank of India, which is a public sector Bank. In spite of the fact that the half of the loan amount was already paid much before the deadline after the moratorium period, the Bank's Manjoor Branch in Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu displayed their photographs showing them as 'missing' and 'defaulter'. Not only this, the Bank made threatening telephonic calls at her home, which gave a shock to her ailing father and he died.
The Commission has observed that "enforcing the practice of 'name and shame rules' in educational loans would certainly amount to serious violation of human rights. Publishing photographs of parents and students (defaulters) have the potential of exposing the students to irreparable loss, injury and prejudice. Apparently, the bank appears to have believed that shaming the defaulters would pressurize the families to repay outstanding educational loans. Such display of photographs of defaulters of education loan (who normally come from poor families and particularly rural areas) would certainly amount to loss of their dignity apart from violation of their human rights."
Accordingly, the Commission has issued notices to the Chairman, Central Bank of India, Central Office, Mumbai, District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, District Nilgiris and Branch Manager, Central Bank of India, Manjoor Branch, District Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu calling for reports.