i am an employee of a nationalised bank, Today in the afternoon a fellow staff suddenly came to me and started arguing with me on a matter and stopped me from attending customer.A customer who was waiting for his work , I suddenly noticed capturing video of me. When I asked him why did he take ,he proudly said “TO ESCALATE”. and refused to delete. Then I asked him to meet senior official . he met and put the blame completely on me saying he was not treated well. Please advise
Hi Banashree,
Dealing with an unprovoked argument from a colleague and a frustrated customer simultaneously on the branch floor is an incredibly stressful situation. It is completely understandable that you are concerned about the video and the blame being shifted onto you. However, as an employee of a nationalised bank, you have specific rights, and there are clear steps you can take to protect yourself.
Here is an immediate action plan and the official sources you can rely on to defend your position:
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File a Written Incident Report
Immediately draft a factual, chronological account of the incident. Note the exact time, the name of the colleague who interrupted you, and how their argument physically prevented you from attending to the customer. Submit this to your Branch Manager or the senior official involved. Stating the facts clearly will shift the liability for the delay back to the colleague who caused it. -
Address the Unauthorized Recording
Point out in your report that the customer was actively recording video inside the branch premises. Across nationalised banks, unauthorized video recording is strictly prohibited due to severe privacy and security risks (protecting other customers’ financial data, KYC documents, and branch security layouts). The customer does not have the right to bypass bank security protocols, even if their intent was to “escalate.” -
Initiate a Formal Grievance Against Your Colleague
You have the right to escalate your colleague’s unprofessional behavior, as it directly impacted your work environment and customer service. Submit a formal written complaint to your Branch Head. If no action is taken within the stipulated time, you can escalate this to your Zonal Grievance Redressal Officer (GRO) or Regional HR.
Official Guidelines & Sources to Reference
You can refer to the following official frameworks which govern branch security, customer service, and grievance handling:
- RBI Master Circular on Customer Service in Banks: Outlines the institutional framework for customer service and branch management.
Reserve Bank of India - The Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021: Details the exact process for customer escalations and how the bank must respond.
https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/content/pdfs/RBIOS2021_amendments05082022.pdf - Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005: Enforces the strict confidentiality of branch operations and customer data, highlighting why the customer’s video recording is a major security violation.
https://dor.gov.in/prevention-money-launderingmaintenance-records-rules-2005 - Your Bank’s Internal Grievance Policy: Check your specific bank’s official website under “Customer Care” or “Grievance Redressal” for the exact 3-tier escalation matrix to report staff misconduct.
Stay firm on the facts of the incident, and make sure everything is documented in writing.