1. Introduction

Abrus Krishna Finance is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct, legal compliance, customer service, and transparent lending practices under the Kerala Money-Lenders Act, 1958.

This Grievance Redressal Policy outlines the structured mechanism available to customers for reporting concerns, complaints, or service-related issues. It ensures that all grievances are acknowledged, investigated, and resolved fairly and within reasonable timelines.

Our goal is to deliver responsive, respectful, and responsible service at every stage of the customer relationship.

2. Objective of the Policy

The primary objectives of this policy are:

• To provide customers with a clear, accessible channel to raise concerns
• To ensure fair, timely, and transparent resolution of complaints
• To strengthen internal control mechanisms and accountability
• To prevent recurrence of issues through corrective measures
• To align grievance-handling procedures with applicable legal requirements under the KML Act

3. Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to all customers of Abrus Krishna Finance who have availed or interacted with any of the following services:

• Gold Loan
• Doorstep Gold Loan
• Micro Business Loan
• Micro Personal Loan
• Micro Home Loan
• Micro Finance
• Consumer Goods Loan (through partner stores)

Grievances may relate to:

• Staff behaviour
• Loan processing
• Interest rates and charges
• KYC delays
• Branch service experience
• Doorstep service handling
• Gold valuation and safety
• Loan closure issues
• Auction-related concerns
• Documentation or receipt-related discrepancies
• Data privacy concerns
• Website-related issues

4. Customer Rights Under the Grievance Policy

Every customer has the right to:

• Be heard politely and treated with respect
• Receive fair and unbiased investigation of complaints
• Obtain information on turnaround times for grievance resolution
• Receive responses and clarifications in writing
• Escalate the issue if dissatisfied with the initial response
• Expect complete confidentiality during the investigation
• Obtain copies of relevant documents or receipts upon request

No retaliation or discrimination will occur against customers who file complaints.

5. What Constitutes a Grievance?

A grievance is any complaint, concern, or dissatisfaction relating to:

• Service quality at branch or during doorstep operations
• Loan approval or disbursement delays
• Errors in documents or records
• Issues related to gold handling, sealing, safety, or custody
• Miscommunication of interest rates or terms
• Staff behaviour, integrity, or professionalism
• Difficulty in accessing information
• Technical issues (website, online forms, etc.)
• Discrepancies in repayment or receipt entries
• Any situation that impacts customer trust or rights

6. Grievance Registration Channels

Customers can lodge complaints through any of the following official channels:

6.1. Branch Visit

Submit a written complaint at any branch of Abrus Krishna Finance.
A designated Grievance Officer at the branch will acknowledge and register the complaint.

6.2. Customer Care Helpline

Phone:
Timings: Monday–Saturday (9:30 AM to 5:30 PM)

All calls are documented and assigned a reference number.

6.3. Email Support

Email ID: hr@abruskrishna.com
Complaints will receive an acknowledgement within 24 hours.

6.4. Website Complaint Form

Available on the Contact / Support page.
A tracking ID will be provided automatically.

6.5. Postal Communication

Address:
Grievance Redressal Officer
Abrus Krishna Finance

7. Grievance Redressal Process — Step-by-Step

We follow a three-tier resolution framework:

Tier 1: Branch-Level Resolution

• Complaint acknowledged within 24 hours
• Investigation begins immediately
• Resolution target: 3 to 5 working days
• Written response provided to customer
• If satisfied, grievance is closed

If the customer is not satisfied, the complaint moves to Tier 2.

Tier 2: Grievance Redressal Officer (GRO)

If resolution at branch level is unsatisfactory, customers may escalate to:

Grievance Redressal Officer

Responsibilities of the GRO:

• Review the branch findings
• Re-investigate where required
• Resolve escalated issues impartially
• Provide a written explanation

Resolution target: 7 to 10 working days

If unresolved, complaint moves to Tier 3.

Tier 3: Senior Management Review

Customers may escalate to:

Head – Compliance & Legal
Abrus Krishna Finance

Senior management will:

• Conduct a high-level review
• Examine if legal provisions were followed
• Ensure corrective actions are implemented
• Issue a final written response

Resolution target: 10 to 15 working days

8. Complaints Related to Gold Loan & Auctions

Special handling applies to:

Gold safety, purity disputes, or weight mismatch

• Investigated under dual-control protocols
• Vault audit verification conducted
• All seals, packets, and register entries examined

Auction-related complaints

• Customer may review valuation and notices
• Auction video/photo documentation may be provided upon request
• Excess amount (after adjusting dues) must be refunded to customer

All resolutions strictly follow KML Act provisions.

9. Non-Acceptable Complaints

The following are considered invalid or outside the company’s responsibility:

• Complaints unsupported by evidence
• Complaints relating to services not offered by us
• Issues arising from third-party websites or partner stores
• Attempts to misuse the grievance system
• Behavioural misconduct by customers

10. Review, Monitoring & Internal Compliance

• All grievances are logged in a centralized system
• Monthly reports submitted to the Compliance Department
• Root-cause analysis conducted for recurring complaints
• Staff training provided where service gaps are identified
• Policy reviewed annually or as per regulatory updates

11. Customer Responsibilities During Grievance Handling

Customers are expected to:

• Provide accurate information
• Share relevant documents/evidence
• Allow reasonable time for investigation
• Maintain respectful communication
• Avoid fraudulent or malicious claims

12. Confidentiality Assurance

All complaints, supporting documents, and personal information provided by the customer remain strictly confidential, accessible only to authorized personnel.

13. Legal Compliance

This grievance mechanism is fully aligned with:

• Kerala Money-Lenders Act, 1958
• State rules for non-banking and money-lending entities
• Industry best practices for ethical recovery
• Consumer protection guidelines
• Data minimization and privacy standards

In the event of legal disputes, the jurisdiction lies with courts in Kerala.