Kerala University Demands Professor Pay Rs 17 Lakh for SBI Banking Error
Kerala University has asked professor Girish R Kumar to pay approximately Rs 17 lakh that was lost due to a State Bank of India error during a foreign currency transaction in 2023. The bank mistakenly deducted $20,000 instead of Rs 20,000 from the Centre for Latin American Studies account, and later admitted it could not process a refund. The university's decision to hold the professor responsible rather than pursue recovery from the bank has drawn criticism from faculty organizations as illegal.
Kerala University directed professor Girish R Kumar, director of its Centre for Latin American Studies, to pay Rs 17 lakh after SBI made a critical error in 2023. The bank was instructed to transfer Rs 20,000 to Brazil-based journalist Milan Sime Martinic for delivering lectures, but instead deducted $20,000, resulting in an excess transfer of Rs 16,50,000. SBI admitted in an October 2023 letter that it could not process a refund and warned that bank officials would face financial liability if the money was not recovered from the recipient. Despite Kumar's repeated requests over two-and-a-half years, Kerala University did not pursue recovery from the bank. Instead, the university cited Kumar's failure to obtain prior permission for the foreign exchange payment as grounds for demanding repayment. The Kerala University Teachers Organisation condemned the decision as illegal, noting that an ombudsman had directed the bank to take legal action. Recovery efforts from Martinic became impossible after his death in 2024.
What's missing
The current status of any legal proceedings between Kerala University and SBI, and whether the journalist's estate or beneficiaries have been contacted regarding the erroneous transfer.
What different sources said
- Times of IndiaCenter
Kerala Univ asks prof to pay Rs 17L over SBI lapse
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