Bank Locker – Son of deceased bank customer seeking information -RTI Act 2005
The father of the appellant had a bank locker. He died on 21.9.2011. The appellant had applied for information of lock under the RTI Act. The said application was rejected.
According to the appellant, after the death of his father he had fiduciary relationship with the Bank and therefore, information could not be refused.
HELD that in a case where a fiduciary relationship exists, unless the Competent Authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information, such information can be refused under sub-section (j) of Section of the Act. Similarly, sub-section (j) exempts disclosure of information if it has no relationship to any activity or interest or would cause invasion of privacy of individual. Satisfaction of the Competent Authority that disclosure of information is justified in “larger public interest”. Moreover, there are disputes between the heirs of late father of the appellant. Therefore, there cannot be any public interest, much less, larger public interest.
Judgment dated 18.7.2024 of the Delhi High Court in LPA No.523 of 3024 of Ravi Prakash Soni Vs. Central Information Commission and others
