PUNE: The Pune District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Quikr India Pvt Ltd and its RTO (regional transport office) consultant, Vansh Enterprises, to refund ₹93,248 and pay ₹49,000 in compensation for delay in the transfer and re-registration of a car. Prashant Singh, a resident of Wagholi, had filed a case with the forum in January 2020.
Singh was working with a private bank in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and was transferred to Pune where he had to join on February 25, 2019. According to the terms of his job, his company would reimburse the relocation charges including the vehicle transfer expenses, provided he applied for the same within six months from the date of joining.
When shifting base, Singh took his car to Pune and applied on the company website for transfer and re-registration of his car through its RTO services. On April 26, 2019, he paid ₹93,248 as various charges and also submitted documents including some original documents to enable Quikr’s agent to apply at the RTO for transfer and re-registration of his car. For the next several months, Singh kept following-up with but there was no progress and he would get replies such as “RTO services are not working due to technical glitches” or “The RTO will do the work soon” and so on.
Finally, Singh visited the RTO in September 2019 and met the agent who allegedly told him that the firm had not paid him the requisite amount for doing the work. An irate Singh took back all his documents from the agent and once again wrote to the firm to return his money. Despite repeated requests however, the firm did not refund Singh’s money and instead, sent general replies to the complainant stating that they will check into the matter and get back to him. So much so, that Singh is now no longer eligible to claim the relocation benefits from his company and is suffering losses instead. The RTO too is fining him to the extent of ₹1,400 every month for non-transfer of his car, he said. Frustrated, Singh finally filed a complaint with the Pune District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The commission issued several notices to the firm and its agent but they did not appear.
{{/usCountry}}Finally, Singh visited the RTO in September 2019 and met the agent who allegedly told him that the firm had not paid him the requisite amount for doing the work. An irate Singh took back all his documents from the agent and once again wrote to the firm to return his money. Despite repeated requests however, the firm did not refund Singh’s money and instead, sent general replies to the complainant stating that they will check into the matter and get back to him. So much so, that Singh is now no longer eligible to claim the relocation benefits from his company and is suffering losses instead. The RTO too is fining him to the extent of ₹1,400 every month for non-transfer of his car, he said. Frustrated, Singh finally filed a complaint with the Pune District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The commission issued several notices to the firm and its agent but they did not appear.
{{/usCountry}}After going through the documents and email communication, the commission held the firm and its agent responsible for causing ‘deficiency’ in services rendered to the complainant. The commission held that the firm had adopted unfair trade practices by using the complainant’s money for other work. The commission ordered the firm and its agent to refund ₹93,248 along with 9% interest per annum from April 26, 2019 till realisation of the total amount. They also have to pay ₹14,000 for the fine imposed by RTO for the delay in transferring the vehicle. The commission also asked that the complainant be paid ₹25,000 in compensation for mental agony and ₹10,000 as litigation cost. The application was filed through the complainant’s lawyer, advocate Reshma Qazi.