Chandigarh

DF-II

CC/116/2021

Ram Bahadur - Complainant(s)

Versus

The Chairman cum Managing Director Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Ltd. - Opp.Party(s)

Raj Kishore adv

18 Jul 2023

ORDER

DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION-II

U.T. CHANDIGARH

 

Consumer Complaint No.	:	116/2021
Date of Institution	:	18.02.2021
Date of Decision	:	18.07.2023

 

                                               

 

 

Ram Bahadur aged 55 years s/o Sh.Pati Rakhan r/o H.No.147, Phase-I, Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, Chandigarh.

…. Complainant .

Versus      

1.      The Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Ltd., Sahara India Bhawan, 1, Kapoorthala Complex,  Aliganj, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

2.      The Managing Director, Humara India Credit Cooperative Ltd.,  Regd. Office,  Mangal Jyoti, 101, 227/2, AJC Bose Road, Kolkata, West Bengal-700020.

3.      The Authorized Officer, Humara India Credit Cooperative Ltd.,  SCO No.2397, Sector 22-B, Chandigarh

 

…. Opposite Parties.

BEFORE:  

SHRI AMRINDER SINGH SIDHU, PRESIDENT

SHRI B.M.SHARMA, MEMBER

 

PRESENT:-

Sh.Ankit Kumar, Advocate, Proxy for Sh.Raj Kishore, Counsel of complainant

                   Sh.Ishneet Bhatia, Counsel of the OPs.

 

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

 

1.           By dint of this common order, we propose to dispose off 40 connected consumer complaints in which common questions of law and fact are involved. The particulars of the case and the details of the deposited amount as pleaded by the complainant in the complaint are as under:-

 

1	2.	3.		4.	5
Sr. No.	C.C. No.	Complainant’s Name	Vs.	Opposite Party (s)	Amount Deposited (In Rs.)
	CC/116/2021	Ram Bahadur	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	23327/- 23327/- 46,654/-
	CC/172/2021	Hamta Devi	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	1,98,000/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/196/2021	Tatri Devi	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited	89,500/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/197/2021	Tatri Devi	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited	1,74,000/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/198/2021	Tatri Devi	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited	36,750/-   36,750/- 73,500/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/199/2021	Prem Shankar	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited	18,000/-
	CC/200/2021	Prem Shankar	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited	10,000/-
	CC/201/2021	Prem Shankar	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited	57,000/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/259/2021	Sharda Rani	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	16,000/- 17,000/- 17,000/- 50,000/-
	CC/596/2021	Satish Kumar Jaiswal	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	50,000/-
	CC/647/2021	Asha Kali Beri	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	70,000/- 1,19,000/- 192000/-
	CC/648/2021	Asha Kali Beri	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	1,18,000/-
	CC/673/2021	Aman Goyal	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited.	82000/- 65000/- 17000/- 1,64,000/-
	CC/755/2021	Raj Kumar Sharma	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	25,000/-
	CC/764/2021	Vakil Chand Mandal	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	19,000/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/765/2021	Vakil Chand Mandal	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	19,000/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/768/2021	Ram Naresh Prasad Gupta.	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	45,000/-
	CC/774/2021	Poonam Singh	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	10,000/-
	CC/775/2021	Poonam Singh	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	10000/-
	CC/776/2021	Vimal	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	10,000/-
	CC/855/2021	Ram Sukh Verma	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited.	64,949/-
	CC/856/2021	Ram Sukh Verma	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited.	1,00,000/-
	CC/1006/2021	Manoj Kumar	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	1,31,000/-
	CC/1007/2021	Sanjay Kumar Sarkar	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	17,000/-
	CC/1008/2021	Sanjay Kumar Sarkar	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	16,000/-
	CC/1009/2021	Sanjay Kumar Sarkar	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	17,000/-
	CC/55/2022	Ram Prawesh Singh	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	1,04,000/- 1,04,000/- 1,04,000/- 22,000/- 3,34,000/-
	CC/279/2022	Manoj Kumar Mandal	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	1,05,000/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/284/2022	Ganga Ram Chodhary	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	1,24,000/-
	CC/330/2022	Yagya Kumar	Vs	Sahara India Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	1,45,377/- 1,45,377/- 1,46,540/- 4,37,294/-
	CC/440/2022	Usha Devi	Vs	Sahara India Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	40,000/-
	CC/441/2022	Surinder Yadav	Vs	Sahara India Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	45,000/-
	CC/463/2022	Gaman Malhotra	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	19,000/- 19,000/- 19,000/- 19,000/- 19,000/- 19,000/- 1,14,000/-
	CC/464/2022	Gaman Malhotra	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	2,88,000/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/656/2022	Rinku shah	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	41,200/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/719/2022	Karna	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	96,500/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/720/2022	Lalan Kumar	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	96,500/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/721/2022	Lalan kumar	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	2,30,000/- (Recurring Deposit)
	CC/771/2022	Hem Raj	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited	7089/-
	CC/792/2022	Ram Prawesh Singh	Vs	Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited etc.	16000/- 11000/- 27,000/-

2.           The facts are gathered from C.C.No.116/2021-Ram Bahadur Versus The Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Sahara Credit Cooperative Society etc.
3.           The complainant has filed the present complaint pleading that the complainant deposited the amounts as mentioned in the table above under one of the fixed deposit schemes of the OP(s) on different dates and on its date of maturity, the complainant was to get the maturity amount.  On its maturity, the complainant requested the OPs to release the maturity amount but they started lingering on the matter on one or other pretext. Finally, they have failed to release the maturity amount. 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 OPs 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 opposed the application by filing reply to the same and stated that the complaint is maintainable and the same deserves to be allowed with costs.
7.           Parties led evidence by way of affidavits and documents.
8.           The Counsel for the OPs have placed on record some documents i.e.          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.
9.           We have heard the learned Counsel for the contesting parties and gone through the record as well as written submissions.
10.           The main complaint as well as the application moved by OPs for dismissal of the case, are taken-up together.
11.           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.

12.           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”.
13.           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.
15.           The pending application (s), if any, stands disposed off accordingly.
16.           Certified copy of this order be communicated to the parties, free of charge. After compliance file be consigned to record room.

Announced

18.07.2023

Sd/-

 (AMRINDER SINGH SIDHU)

PRESIDENT

 

Sd/-

(B.M. SHARMA)

MEMBER