In 2004 – six years ago – I wrote three pieces for the International Herald Tribune (IHT). They asked how they could pay me ($250 per piece). I asked my bank – Central Bank – and was given details like swift code and so on which I forwarded to IHT. About two or three months later, one payment came through. After waiting some time, I checked with IHT and they gave me details of when the payments had been sent. On a trip to Paris, where they are based, I even went to their accounts department and they showed me proof (with the exact dates) that the payments had been sent. I went to the headquarters of Central Bank, to their foreign exchange department and drew a blank. (I made a second trip later.)
Then I decided to write to the Banking Ombudsman. It is now almost two years since the payments were sent by IHT. After my letter to the Ombudsman, another payment from IHT was miraculously located in Hyderabad. How it got there Central Bank was unable to explain.
I was astounded because I had not even been given the elementary courtesy of a personal hearing.
I persevered with the Banking Ombudsman about the third payment and Central Bank continued to inform me that they were still trying to locate it. Then, recently, I got a letter from the PR department of the RBI that my case had been investigated by the Ombudsman and “dealt with and closed”. I was astounded because I had not even been given the elementary courtesy of a personal hearing nor did the RBI or the Ombudsman clarify on what basis my case had been closed.
I wrote a letter of protest, pointing this out, but have had no reply. A banking friend tells me that the Banking Ombudsman is largely staffed by retired people from public sector banks and, naturally, they are more interested in covering up the inefficiencies of these banks than in looking into complaints by the banking public.
After this unhappy experience with Central Bank, I have got payments for writing abroad sent through Standard Chartered Bank and the funds have come through the next day, without any problems. It would be interesting to know how many complaints like mine have been handled by the Banking Ombudsman and what has been their outcome.
