Sri S.K.Sahoo,President.

                This is   a complaint U/s. 35 of C.P.Act ,2019.   

2.         The  case of the  complainant is  that he  is a permanent  resident of  Vill.Naraharipur,Balimi of   Dhenkanal District. The opp.parties  are  earning  profit  out  of their  business  of  Co-operative Society Ltd., having its   branch office at Angul district. The   complainant   being  an  employee of the opp.parties’ as  per their  instructions opened 20  numbers   of  accounts   as given below in details :-

           The  above deposits were made  under  SAHARA WORKERS Scheme   of  Sahara Co-operative Society Ltd. The complainant  has deposited the aforesaid  amount to earn his  livelihood. After the maturity  of  all those  deposits  the  complainant approached  the opp.parties  but they  did not pay  the matured amount. At last the  complainant went to the opp.party No.1  personally and requested  him to disburse the matured amount  but he  did not disburse the same. Due to  such  conduct of the opp.parties the complainant sustained  mental agony , inconvenience, loss  and  subjected  to harassment. Hence this  case.

3.         Notices were issued  to  both the  opp.parties through  Regd.post with A.D  on 06.11.2021             .From the A.D  available   in the  case record  it is  clear that, the  opp.party NO.1  has received the  notice  from this Commission on 08.11.2021. The letter issued to opp.party No.2  is not  back  nor the A.D. It  was dispatched in correct address  through Regd.post with A.D.Hence service  of  summon  to opp.party No. 2  is  deemed to  be  sufficient after  30 days   of dispatch  of the Regd. letter  to him in correct address. Non of the   opp.parties filed  written version. Only  on 27.07.2022 opp.party No.1  appeared through   his   Learned Counsel Sri D.K.Pani, R.PPattanaik & others  and filed  a petition for time to  file  show  cause, which was  allowed. However no show cause  was  filed . Only on 05.01.2023 the opp.party No.1  filed  his  written argument   , where  he has challenged the  maintainability  of the  present  proceeding  before this Commission.  

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.         The  complaint  petition  is supported with affidavit  . It  is  alleged in the  complaint petition that the  complainant  being  an employee  of the society  of the opp.parties  has deposited  different  amounts in 20 numbers  of  accounts of the  opp.parties .Those  are to be matured  after 36 months of the date of  deposits. After the maturity  period  was overed   the  complainant   approached the   opp.parties  but they did not  pay the matured  amount. Such allegations of the  complainant is  not denied  by the opp.parties. It is reliable and trust worthy. So the complainant   is   entitled   for the matured amount  on the date  of their  maturity. He is  also entitled for interest on those  accounts  from the date of  maturity  till  it is  actual paid to  him.

7.         Hence ordered :-

: O R DE R :

The  case  be  and   same  is  allowed  in part on  contest against the  opp.party No.1 and  exparte  against the  opp.party No.2. The opp.parties  are  jointly and severally liable   for   payment to the  complainant. The  opp.parties are directed to pay  Rs. 4,72,091 .00 (Rupees Four Lakh Seventy-Two Thousand Ninety-one ) only  along with  interest @ 12 % p.a  from the  date of  their  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 for mental agony and  harassment  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  the  complainant.