Banks equally responsible for agents’ misconduct: NCIB after viral audio; HDFC Bank denies woman’s employment

The National Crime Investigation Bureau (NCIB) on Saturday has criticised HDFC Bank following the circulation of a viral audio clip in which a woman was heard hurling abuses at a CRPF soldier.

In a statement, the NCIB said in a post on X, “Granted she may not be officially your employee, but for recovery purposes it was you who issued the authority letter to that agency. Even an uneducated person can understand that without your knowledge, the agent or staff could not have obtained the customer’s information. How can you forget that when a bank appoints a recovery agent, it only grants the right to recover dues, not powers above the law. Protecting the dignity, rights and privacy of customers is the primary responsibility of the bank. Moreover, if an agent misbehaves with any customer, the bank is equally responsible as the agent. Therefore, you cannot wash your hands of this incident or shirk your responsibilities.”

HDFC Bank, however, has distanced itself from the controversy, clarifying that the woman in the audio is not connected with the bank.

"This is with reference to an audio clip circulating on social and online media, where a lady is heard speaking disrespectfully to a CRPF personnel. Multiple posts have incorrectly identified her as an employee of HDFC Bank. We would like to clarify that this individual is not an employee of HDFC Bank. The conduct heard in the clip is neither acceptable nor does it reflect our values as an organisation," the bank said in a post on its official X handle.