Chandigarh

DF-II

CC/360/2021

Smt. Radha - Complainant(s)

Versus

Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Ltd. - Opp.Party(s)

Savinder Singh Gill

11 May 2023

ORDER

DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION-II

U.T. CHANDIGARH

 

Consumer Complaint No.	:	360 of 2021
Date of Institution	:	09.06.2021
Date of Decision	:	11.05.2023

 

                                               

                                             

Radha w/o Sh.Ramji Lal, R/o House No.995, Phase-2, Ramdarbar, Chandigarh 160002

    ...  Complainant

 

Versus

Sahara Credit Co-operative Society, S.C.O. No.1110-1111, Sector 22-B, Chandigarh through its Branch Manager/Authorized Signatory

 

…. Opposite Party

 

BEFORE:

SHRI AMRINDER SINGH SIDHU, PRESIDENT

SHRI B.M.SHARMA, MEMBER

 

Argued by:-

        Sh.Savinder Singh Gill, Counsel of complainant

          Sh.Ishneet Bhatia, Counsel of the OP.

 

ORDER BY AMRINDER SINGH SIDHU, M.A.(Eng.),LLM,PRESIDENT

 

1.     By dint of this common order, we propose to dispose off Seventeen (17) connected consumer complaints in which common questions of law and fact are involved. The particulars of the case and the details of the amount deposited by the complainant (s) in the scheme of the OP(s) is as under:-

 

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Sr. No.	C.C. No.	Complainant’s Name	Account No.	Amount Deposited (In Rs.)	Maturity Amount (in Rs.)	Date of Deposit in Rs.	Date of Maturity
	360/2021	Smt.Radha	23974200562	5000/-	13060/-	18.01.2012	18.01.2020
	260/2022	Zulfiqar Khan	23974203187 23974203192	1,11,000/- 1,22,199/-	2,89,932/- 3,19,184/-	07.07.2012 07.07.2012	07.07.202007.07.2020
	297/2022	Ms.Shivangi Walia	63117800739 63117800637	1,00,000/- 1,00,000/-	1,14,700/- 1,14,700/-	14.12.2019 07.11.2019	14.06.2021 07.05.2021
	386/2022	Smt.Mamta Devi	63114201471	10,000/-	26120/-	20.06.2012	20.06.2020
	387/2022	Smt.Mamta Devi	63114201470	15000/-	39180/-	20.06.2012	20.06.2020
	388/2022	Smt.Urmila	60507800091	1,16,622/-	1,63,854/-	28.02.2019	28.02.2022
	390/2022	Smt.Devta Devi Recurring	77415601045	90,000/- from 26.12.2015 till 21.11.2019
	391/2022	Chandersen	63115601580	10,000/-	21,100/-	23.12.2015	23.12.2021
	537/2020	Ram Dev Singh	23975600893 (Recurring)	72,000/- from 05.02.2015 till 05.12.2019
			23976705096 23976705097 23976705098 23976705099 23977204006	15,000/- 15,000/- 15,000/- 15,000/- 55,300/-	17445/- 17445/- 17445/- 17445/- 64,756/-	21.12.2017 21.12.2017 21.12.2017 21.12.2017 12.12.2018	21.06.2019 21.06.2019 21.06.2019 21.06.2019 12.06.2020
	157/2020	Sham Sunder Bagla	58077800057 58077800042	59000/- 5000/-	64015/- 5425/-	31.01.2019 18.01.2019	31.01.2020 18.01.2020
	158/2020	Sham Sunder Bagla	58077800030	81,000/-	87885/-	18.01.2019	18.01.2020
	159/2020	Sham Sunder Bagla	58077800041 58077800056	13000/- 60000/-	14105/- 65100/-	18.01.2019 31.01.2019	18.01.2020 31.01.2020
	160/2020	Sham Sunder Bagla	58077800031	82,000/-	88970/-	18.01.2019	18.01.2020
	161/2020	Sham Sunder Bagla	58077800032	81,000/-	87885/-	18.01.2019	18.01.2020
	193/2020	Vinod	23977202037	78000/-	85020/-	13.07.2018	13.07.2019
	773/2022	Kamlesh Majih	23977801243	95,000/-	108965/-	21.06.2019	21.12.2020
	508/2022	Sushil Soni	23975104552	12000/-	24984/-	22.12.2014	22.12.2020

 

2.     The facts are gathered from C.C.No.360/2021- Smt.Radha Versus Sahara Credit Co-operative Society & Another.
3.           The complainant has filed the present complaint pleading that the complainant deposited a sum of Rs.5,000/- under one of the fixed deposit schemes of the OP(s) on 18.01.2012 vide A/c No.23974200562 and on its date of maturity i.e. 18.01.2020, the complainant was to get the maturity amount of Rs.13,060/-.  On its maturity, the complainant visited the OP(s) to get the maturity amount but they refused to pay the same and started forcing the complainant to keep the said amount in another fixed deposit for another period of eight years to which the complainant had flatly refused and insisted for refund the maturity amount, but to no effect. Alleging that the aforesaid acts amount to deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on the part of the OP(s), the complainant has filed the instant complaint seeking directions to the OP(s) to refund of the maturity amount along with interest, compensation and litigation expenses.
4.     After service of notice upon the OP(s), the OP(s) appeared and filed their written version raising preliminary objections that the complaint is wholly misconceived and vexatious; the complaint is a premature; there is no relationship of consumer and service provider inter se the complainant and the OP(s) and that this Commission has no jurisdiction to entertain the complaint and the same is liable to be referred to the arbitrator as per Clause of the terms and conditions of the scheme.  It has further been pleaded that the relationship between the complainant and the OPs is of Member and Society and therefore, for any dispute between the society and the Member, consumer complaint is not maintainable. It has been pleaded that the complainant after understanding the bylaws and objects of the society had become a member and after becoming a member of the society the complainant had shared the amount under the scheme of the OPs. It has further been pleaded that the complainant is not entitled to get the deposited amount with interest etc. It has further been pleaded that the rules and regulation of the Society is binding upon the complainant and the member can avail the benefits of the same scheme as per its terms and conditions. Pleading that there is no deficiency in service or unfair trade practice on their part, OPs prayed for dismissal of the consumer complaint.
5.     The ld.Counsel for the OP has also moved an application for dismissal of the complaint stating therein that the dispute arisen between the society and its members and as such this Commission has got no jurisdiction to entertain this complaint and the complaint is liable to dismissed. It is stated that the OP does not provide any service to its Members and the Members of the society made contribution for the benefit of the objects of society. It is also stated that the complainant never hired any service of the OP Society and that the relation between the complainant and society is that of a Member and Society not of a consumer and service provider. It is also stated that the matter is liable to be referred to the arbitration.
6.     The complainant has also filed reply to this application of the OP stating that the complaint is maintainable and the complainant is a member of the society, she was its consumer and the society was a service provider.  It is also stated that the dispute between the Members and their Society can be decided by the Consumer Fora. It is submitted that remedy available under The Consumer Protection Act is an additional remedy and arbitration clause cannot be construed as a mandate to the Consumer Forums. Lastly the complainant has prayed that the application filed by the OP be dismissed. 
7.     The Complainant filed replication to the written version of the OPs controverting their stand and reiterating his own.
8.     Parties led evidence by way of affidavits and documents.
9.     The O.P. placed on record I.A.No.56308/2023 – Application for Directions, with W.P.(C) No.6/2023 (X) dated 20-03-2023 of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India titled as ‘Pinak Pani Mohanty Vs. Union of India & Ors. (Writ Petitions) (Civil) No(s).191/2022, decided on 29.03.2023.
10.     We have heard the learned Counsel for the contesting parties and gone through the record as well as written submissions.
11.     The main complaint as well as the application moved by OPs for dismissal of the case, are taken-up together.
12.     As per latest development, the Hon’ble Apex Court of India pronounced judgment dated 29-03-2023 in I.A. bearing No.56308 of 2023 in Writ Petition(Civil) No.191 of 2022 titled as Pinak Pani Mohanty Versus Union of India and Others with W.P.(C)No.6/2023(X).

 

    The Hon’ble Supreme Court observed that the application preferred by Union of India, Ministry of Corporation for appropriate directions to transfer an amount of Rs.5000 Crores out of unutilized amount of Rs.23,937 Crores (lying in Sahara SEBI Refund Account ) to be disbursed  against legitimate dues of the depositors of Sahara Group Cooperative Societies. The Ld.Counsel has stated at Bar that the amount deposited in “Sahara SEBI Refund Account “ is lying unutilized and in fact due to large number of continuing complaints against Sahara Group of Cooperatives Societies and the amount lying unutilized is also consisting of the amount of the depositors of Sahara Group of Cooperatives Societies, if Rs.5000 Crores is transferred to the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies and thereafter the same is disbursed against the legitimate dues of the depositors of the Sahara Group of Cooperatives Societies, it will be just proper and equitable. He has stated at Bar that on the aforesaid amount, there is no charge and/or attachment of any other agency and the present application has been filed for appropriate direction as prayed, after the series of meetings with the different authorities/ departments, which shall be in larger interest of the depositors of the Sahara Group of Cooperatives Societies. Having heard the learned Solicitor General appearing on behalf of Union of India and facts narrated hereinabove and when it is reported that Rs.2253 Crores had been taken out of the Sahara Credit Cooperative Societies Ltd. i.e. one of the four Sahara Group, Multi-State Cooperative Societies and deposited with SEBI in the “Sahara SEBI refund account” and the amount lying in “Sahara SEBI  Refund account” is lying unutilized and the genuine depositors of Sahara group of Cooperative Societies, which otherwise, shall be entitled to get back their money, the prayer sought in the present application seems to be reasonable and which shall be in larger public interest/interest of the genuine depositors of the Sahara Group of Cooperative Societies. Therefore, the present application stands disposed off with the following directions:-

1.   Out of the total amount of Rs.24,979.67 crores lying in the “Sahara SEBI Refund Account”, Rs.5000 crores be transferred to the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies, who in turn, disburse the same against the legitimate dues of the depositors of the Sahara Group of Cooperative Societies, which shall be paid to the genuine depositors in the most transparent manner and on proper identification and on submitting proof of their deposits and proof of their claims and to be deposited in their respective bank accounts directly
2. The disbursement shall be supervised and monitored by Justice R. Subhash Reddy, Former Judge of this Court with the able assistance of Shri Gaurav Agarwal, learned Advocate, who is appointed as Amicus Curiae to assist Justice R. Subhash Reddy as well as the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies in disbursing the amount to the genuine depositors of the Sahara Group of Cooperative Societies. The manner and modalities for making the payment is to be worked out by the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies in consultation with  Justice R. Subhash Reddy, Former Judge of this Court and Shri Gaurav Agarwal, learned Advocate.

 

13.     The Hon’ble Supreme Court directed that the amount to be paid to the respective genuine depositors of the Sahara Group of Cooperative Societies out of the aforesaid amount of Rs.5000 Crores at the earliest but not later than nine months from the date of order. The balance amount thereafter be again transfer to the “Sahara SEBI Refund Account”.

        The Hon’ble Supreme Court in order to avoid multiplicity of litigation between the Sahara Group of Cooperative Societies and the depositors, in its wisdom, passed above mentioned directions to bring uniformity in the redressal mechanism and in the larger interest of the depositors in order to refund their amount as early as possible but not later than nine months.

14.     In view of the above observations and directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, it is clear that the order and directions of the Supreme Court are binding upon all the Subordinate Courts/Tribunal being the law of the land and therefore, it can be safely concluded that the depositors of the amount should file their claim before the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies at the earliest so that they may get the benefit as soon as possible. Hence, the complainants are allowed to submit their claim(s) before the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies, along with all requirements, details of their bank accounts, documents of identification, proof of deposits etc. and OPs are directed to facilitate them to get the refund of their deposited amounts, as per the determination of the Registrar, Central Cooperative Societies under the supervision and monitoring of Hon’ble Mr. Justice R Subhash Reddy, Former judge of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India with the able assistance of Shri Gaurav Aggarwal, learned Advocate appointed as Amicus Curiae in this matter. Accordingly, the present complaint as well as all connected complaints, mentioned above, stands disposed off in above terms.

        The pending application (s), if any, stands disposed off accordingly.

        Certified copy of this order be communicated to the parties, free of charge. After compliance file be consigned to record room.

Announced

11^th May, 2023

 

 

Sd/-

 (AMRINDER SINGH SIDHU)

PRESIDENT

 

Sd/-

(B.M .SHARMA)

MEMBER