Sri S.K.Sahoo,President.    

           This   is  a  petition U/s. 35 of C.P.Act, 2019  filed by the  complainant  against the opp.parties  who  are the  representing  the  society namely “Humara India Credit Co-operative Society Ltd”.

2.         The  case  of the  complainant is that  he  is   at present resident of  Tamrit Colony ,Angul and the opp.parties  are  running their  business in various  places  including  their  branch office at Angul. Being  influenced by the opp.parties    the  complainant has  deposited Rs.41,500.00 Rs.24,000.00  & Rs. 38,600.00  in accounts  number 12537402671 , 12537402672 & 12537402578 respectively which are to be matured  after  24 months  . Certificates number 438000808583, 438000808584 & 438000808529  were  issued in favour of the  complainant  by the opp.parties  .Those  certificates  were issued  towards the fixed  deposits  made by the  complainant. The opp.parties  assured  the  complainant to  give  interest and  other  benefits  on those  fixed  deposit  certificates  after the   period of  maturity . The  certificates  were  issued on  30.06.2018    which were to be matured on  30.06.2020 and the  maturity  amount  is Rs.52,058.00,Rs.30,106.00  & Rs.48,420.00  accordingly. The total  maturity amount  is Rs.1,30,584.00. The aforesaid   deposits  were made by the  complainant to earn his livelihood. After the  maturity  period upto 24  months   i.e on 30.06.2020 and  there after  the  complainant  approached the opp.party No.1  and other   officials   of the credit co-operative  society  for payment of  his  dues  but they did not pay any heed towards  his  requests. The  complainant  also  claimed Rs. 1,53,367.00 towards membership joining  point. The total amount  claimed by   him  is Rs.2,83,951.00  along with  other  reliefs  such  as   litigation  cost, compensation for  deficiency  in service and  unfair  trade practice.

3.         Notices  were issued to  the opp.parties  through Regd. Post with A.D  on 23.12.2020 . During hearing the  complainant prayed to  delete the opp.party No.2  and  accordingly  opp.party No.2  has been deleted  from the  present proceeding. From A.Ds  available  in the  case  record it  is clear that  both the opp.party No.1 have received the notices  on 24.12.2020 and opp.party No.3  received  the  notice on 28.12.2020. Inspite of  service of notices on them , they did not  turn-up to   contest  the  case by filing  written statement. Only on 13.09.2022  the  learned  counsel  Sri D.K.Pani , Sri R.P.Pattanaik and  others   filed V.nama on behalf of  opp.party No.1  and  filed  a  petition, challenging  the maintainability  of the present  proceeding before  this Commission on the  grounds stated there in . However the  complainant and opp.party No.1 were heard on 04.01.2023  and  order was passed to  decide the  point of  maintainability   along with   other issues at the time of  final order.

4.         It is the  specific  plea   of the opp.party No.1 that the  complainant   is a member of   Sahara Co-operative Society Ltd , as  such he   is not a consumer as described  under C.P.Act, 2019. He has  relied  on a decision of Hon’ble National  Commission, New Delhi passed in Revision Petition No. 4871  of 2012  namely M/S. Anjana Abraham Chembethil Vrs.  Managing Director, Koothattukulam Farmers Services Co-operative  Bank .

            On the  other hand  the learned counsel for the complainant relied  on the following decisions :-

(i). Ram Kanwar Vrs. Sahara India Pariwar Pvt Ltd., of  Hon’ble State Commission, U.T, Chhandigarh , passed on 28.09.2021.

(ii). The  judgment passed on 21.07.2020 by  Hon’ble National Commission, New Delhi  in Revision Petition No. 4044  of 2014 in Branch Manager, Sahara India Vrs. Raj Kumari Devi .

(iii). The  judgment  passed  by the Hon’ble  Supreme Court of India  in Civil Appeal No. 64/2010 ,65/2010,66/2010,67/2010 and 68/2010 in the case of   Virendra Jain Vrs. Alaknanda Co-operative  Group Housing Society  Ltd. and  others  passed  on 23.04.2013.

(iv). The  judgment  passed on 11.12.2003   by Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal No.  92 of 1998     in the  case of  The Secretary,Thirumurugan Co-operative Agricultural Credit Society  Vrs. M.Lalitha (dead) through LRs. & Ors.

5.         Perused the  judgments relied  on by both the parties. On perusal of the   photo copies of  certificates  filed by  the  complainant it is  clear  that the  complainant is  a member  of  the co-operative  society  of the opp.parties  business organization. It is  also clear  from the  evidence  on  record  that the  complainant has  deposited  different   amounts  and  certificates  were issued in  his  favour  by the  society of the opp.parties. Even though  he  is  a member of  the society of the opp.parties he  has invested   certain amounts to earn  the maturity  amount  on  his deposits. From the  judgment  pronounced  by the  different  Commissions and  the Hon’ble Supreme Court relied on  by the complainant it is  crystal  clear  that the  complainant  is  a  consumer   U/s. 2(7)  of C.P.Act, 2019. So the  plea  of  the opp.parties   that the  present  complaint  petition  filed by the  complainant is   not   maintainable    is  not  acceptable  at all .So  the  present  complaint  filed by the  complainant is   maintainable  before  this Commission.

6.         Admittedly  the  complainant  has  deposited Rs.41,500.00, Rs.24,000.00 & Rs.38,600.00  under the  society of the opp.parties and  certificates  were issued in his  favour. On perusal of  those  certificates  it is  clear that the  maturity  amount  under the  afore said  certificates are Rs.52,058.00, Rs.30,106.00 & Rs.48,420.00  respectively and  those certificates  are to be  matured  on 30.06.2020. The  contents  of the  complaint petition  that the  complainant  has deposited the  amount  to earn  interest there on and the  opp.parties have  accepted  those certificates  in course  of  their  business to earn  profit is supported by documents. Although  the  complainant  has claimed  total  membership  joining  point  amounting to Rs.1,53,367.00,absolutely  no  material   has been placed by  him,  how  he is  entitled  for  such  amount .There is  also  nothing  in the  complaint petition  and  from the  certificates  issued in favour of the  complainant  that  he is   entitled   for  interest. However  it is clear  from the  materials on record that the  complainant is  entitled for the   matured  amount mentioned in  those  certificates  issued in his  favour. It  is  also  clear  that  inspite of repeated  approach the opp.parties have not paid the matured amount to the  complainant. During  pendency of  this  case  the opp.parties     have not  taken  any  steps  for  payment of the  amount  entitled by the  complainant  from the opp.parties. There is  deficiency  in service on the part  of the opp.parties’ society and  it further transparence  that the  society  has adopted  unfair trade practice by describing  the  investors  as  member accounts holder.

7.         Hence ordered :-

: O R D E R :

          The  case  be  and   same  is  allowed  in part on  contest  against   opp.party No.1 and  exparte  against the  opp.party No.3. The opp.parties  1 & 3 jointly and severally liable   for   payment to the  complainant. The  opp.parties are directed to pay  Rs.1,30,584.00   (Rupees  One Lakh Thirty Thousand Five Hundred Eighty-Four )  only  along with  interest @ 12 % p.a  from the  date of maturity   until payment is  made. The above opp.parties  are also directed to pay  an amount of Rs.15,000.00 (Rupees Fifteen Thousand)only as compensation and Rs.5000.00 (Rupees Five Thousand) only  towards  litigation expenses. The  opp.parties  are  further  directed to comply the  order  within  a period  of one  month of   receipt  of this  order, failing  which   they are liable  to pay penal  interest @ 16% per annum,  on the  amount  to be paid to   complainant.