Delhi court summons Citi chief Pandit in credit card case

NEW DELHI: Vikram Pandit, credited for resurrecting US-based Citigroup, has been issued a summons by a court here for the bank's alleged demand of Rs 53,000 from a customer for a credit card cancelled six years ago.

Hearing a complaint from a doctor, a local court ordered on May 31 that a summons be issued against Pandit, who was appointed CEO of the troubled bank nearly three years ago, and posted the matter for hearing on December 24.

"Issue summons against the accused (Pandit) for December 24, the next date of hearing," Metropolitan Magistrate Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler said.

Incidentally, Pandit, who was tasked with the onus of reviving the financial group, had announced last year that he would take only USD 1 as salary till the group turned profitable which it did in the first quarter of 2010.

The court order came on the complaint of Rakesh Srivastava, an Associate Professor and Senior Plastic Surgeon with the Safdarjung Hospital, alleging the officials of Citi Bank had been harassing him and his wife for non-payment of dues of Rs 53,048 towards the usage of credit cards which have already been cancelled at his request.

Reacting on the development Citibank said that it has not received the order of the Court. The bank further added, ‘upon receipt of such order, the bank will quickly examine the matter, determine its response and take appropriate steps in accordance with law.’