Ten years after a private trust and a private person failed to construct a cottage by charging ₹16 lakh from a 75-year-old man, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission recently directed them to hand over the possession of the cottage or give a refund. money with 12% interest.
The Senior Citizens Trust, a registered body under the Bombay Trust Act, launched a scheme named ‘Senior Citizen Village’, to be implemented in Poi village of Karjat taluka of Raigad district. The plan specifically states that it is for development of cottages of approximately 500 to 750 square feet for senior citizens on land owned by Ganpat Jadhav.
In 2013, Vijaykumar Deshpande, 75, a resident of Dombivli, Kalyan taluka, Thane district, booked a cottage and paid ₹1 lakh to the trust as booking amount. Soon, there was no communication from the Trust. On enquiry, he learned that if he paid ₹16,50,000, his hut would be completed in 12 months. Mr. Deshpande paid the said amount and executed an agreement on stamp paper. However, there was no progress on the cottage and Mr. Deshpande was convinced that he had been given false assurances.
He then sent a complaint notice to Mr. Jadhav and the Trust, seeking refund of the entire amount along with 15% interest from 2013 to 2018, the time to go before the Commission.
Chairman SP Tawde and Judicial Member AZ Khwaja said, “Vijaykumar Jadhav and the Senior Citizens Trust have indulged in deficiency in service as well as unfair trade practices.”
The commission directed both the guilty parties to either hand over the possession of the fully constructed 750 sq ft hut to Mr. Deshpande or pay Rs 1 lakh along with 12% interest for mental and physical harassment Rs 16,50,000 and Rs 25,000 paid off. Litigation cost.