Sri S.K.Sahoo,President.

          This  is   a  petition filed by the  complainant U/s. 35  of Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

2.       The  case of the  complainant is  that  he  has opened the   account  bearing No. 12534804650 on 07.08.2013     and deposited Rs.500.00 on each month    under “  SAHARA.M. BENEFIT ”  scheme for 60 months  with  the opp.parties   at their  Angul branch  office .The complainant has  deposited  a total amount  of  Rs. 24,000.00 till 30.06.2017  instead  of 30,000.00 till 07.08.2018 . The  said  deposits  were to be matured on   07.08.2018,when the   opp.parties   are   liable  to pay  the maturity  amounts   along with other benefits. After  the maturity period  the opp.parties  did not  repay the  amount  due to the  complainant  inspite of  his   several  approach   personally to the  Branch Manager (opp.party No.1)  . It is    further  alleged that   when he   submitted  a written application to opp.party No.1  he  did not  receive the same and  refused to   disburse  the  amount  due to the  complainant. Due  to such  conduct of the opp.parties- who  have adopted  unfair trade practice,  the  complainant  was   harassed  and  subjected to   mental  agony. There is  gross  deficiency  in service  of the  opp.parties. Finding  no   other  way the complainant has filed the  present  complaint  before  this  Commission  for  necessary  direction  to the opp.parties to  disburse the  amount  due   to  him along  with other  reliefs.

3.       Notices  were  issued  to all the opp.parties through  R.P with A.D  on 19.08.2020  . 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 . Opp.party No.1   and 3 did not  appear  inspite  of notice. Opp.party No.1 entered  his appearance only on 16.01.2023.No written statement was filed  by  the opp.parties  .

          However the Learned  Counsel  for the opp.party No.1  challenged the maintainability  of the proceeding  before this Commission by relying on a decision in Revision petition No. 4871 of 2012 M/s.Anjana Abraham,Chembethil Vrs. M.D, The Koothattukulam Farmers Service Co-operative Bank  passed by the Hon’ble National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi  . On the  other hand  the  learned  counsel for the  complainant  relied  on  decision of  the Learned  State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh  in Ram Kanwar Vrs. Sahara India Pariwar Pvt. Ltd.  on 28.09.2021, the  judgement  passed  by the  Hon’ble Supreme Court in Civil  Appeal  No. 64  of 2010  Virender Jain Vrs. Alaknanda Coopertative  Group Housing Society  Ltd. & others, Civil Appeal No. 92  of 1998, The Secretary,Thirumurugan Co-operative Agricultural Credit Society  Vrs. M.Lalitha  (dead) through LRs. & Others and  submitted that the  complainant is  a  consumer and  the present  proceeding is maintainable  before this Commission.  On perusal of the judgement relied on by both the parties it is clear that the  complainant  is a consumer and present proceeding is maintainable  before this Commission.

4.       The  complaint petition  filed by the complainant on 27.07.2020  is  a  verified one and supported with affidavit . It has been executed  before the Notary  on 27.07.2020.From the  compliant petition  it is clear that on 07.08.2013   the  complainant has started depositing an amount of Rs. 500.00 per month    with the opp.parties in  Account No. 12534804650  . He has deposited Rs.24,000.00 in toto till 30.06.2017. The photo copy  of the  said  account   is available  in the  case  record. From the  complaint petition  coupled  with   photo copy of documents   granted  by the opp.parties  it is  clear that the  complainant has deposited an amount of  Rs. 24,000.00    with  the opp.parties which is to be matured on 07.08.2018. Admittedly  the  opp.parties  have not  paid the  matured    amount    to the  complainant  after  it   has been matured . 

          It is   clear  from  the materials  on record  that the  complainant  has  deposited the  aforesaid   amount to  get  the  matured  amount  and the  opp.parties  have accepted  those  deposits in course  of  their  business  to earn  profit. The  aforesaid  deposits were  made by the  complainant  to earn his  livelihood. It is  crystal clear   from the  materials  on record that the  complainant  is  entitled  to get the  matured  amount  along with  interest. Due  to  non-payment of the  dues  to the  complainant  after maturity he sustained loss and  subjected    to  mental agony.  The  opp.parties have adopted unfair  trade practice  and they are   jointly and  severally  liable  for   payment of the  matured amount  along with   interest to the  complainant.

6.       Hence order :-

O R D E R :

             The  case  be  and   same  is  allowed  in part on  contest  the  opp.party No.1 and  exparte  against the  opp.party No.3 . The opp.parties  are  jointly and severally liable   for   payment to the  complainant. The  opp.parties are directed to pay   Rs.24,000.00 (Rupees Twenty-Four Thousand) only  along with interest @12% p.a from 07.08. 2018 until payment is made. The above opp.parties  are also directed to pay  an amount of Rs. 10,000.00 (Rupees Ten 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  the  complainant.