The Delhi High Court (HC) has slammed ICICI Bank for unsolicited telemarketing calls made to market its banking products and services.

It has also denied putting a stay on the contempt proceedings against the bank in the State Consumer Commission. The commission has slapped a penalty of $500,000 (Rs 2.5 million) on ICICI Bank and American Express Bank.

Justice Vikramjit Sen of the Division Bench said, "Every day we get nuisance calls. What business you get out of such calls! Face the music for making nuisance calls."

The proceedings started with a petition filed by filed by advocate Nivedita Sharma. Sharma said that she had been receiving these pesky calls from ICICI Bank despite the Commission’s strict order to stop making telemarketing calls

Soon after her complaint, in December 2006 the Commission imposed a consummate cost on the Airtel and Cellular Operators Association of India for their failure to control the unsolicited calls made by telemarketers and banks.

In defence, the bank argued before the High Court bench that Sharma was misusing the "liberty granted to her by the court" to seek relief from the Consumer Commission if still pestered by unsolicited calls.

Describing her current litigation before the Commission as "misconceived", the bank argued that it was impossible for Sharma to receive any unsolicited calls as her name had been added to the Do Not Call registry.

But Justice Sen himself pitched in here with his own personal experience. "Do you think you are above the law?", he demanded. "Who is your highest ranking officer in northern India? Bring him here; let him explain these calls."

Sharma was advised by the Commission to approach it again if she faces further harassment. X