HYDERABAD: Consumers in Telangana may be getting favourable verdicts from courts, but they still aren’t a happy lot. For, the companies or entities found erring aren’t compensating consumers as directed by legal authorities, and the cops don’t seem to be doing anything about it. In Hyderabad alone, at least 200 bailable and non-bailable warrants are pending in three district consumer fora.
Irked by the inaction of the police department, president of the State consumer disputes redressal commission has written to city police commissioner Anjani Kumar seeking his intervention in the matter. The commissioner, in turn, has directed all his assistant and deputy commissioners to ensure strict compliance when it comes to execution of non-bailable warrants.
Warrants are issued against persons or companies that do not comply with the judgment of district consumer fora; it’s issued only if the erring person or company fails to compensate the consumer within the stipulated time.
The letter written by the commission’s president MSK Jaiswal to police commissioner Anjani Kumar reads as follows: “The burning problem in the consumer fora is the non-execution of NBWs by the police... Any number of the letters issued to the police officers to see that non-bailable warrants pending are executed is not bringing any fruitful result.”
One of the bench members of the district fora alleged that the warrants were not being executed as opposite parties — read erring companies or persons — are using money power to block legal action. “The local police officials are being bribed by these opposite parties. In some cases, the parties themselves shut shop to escape from cops,” he alleged.
In his memo to deputies, commissioner Anjani Kumar also acknowledged that warrants were piling up. “...local police authorities are not evincing any interest in executing the warrants,” the memo read. This, according to him, is “leading to a travesty of justice.”
Law violated
Under section 27 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, a jail term of 1 month to 3 years and/or a fine of Rs 2,000-Rs 10,000 can be imposed on those who do not comply with the judgment of district, State, or national fora.
Pending Warrants
Hyderabad Forum 1 - 110 cases
Hyderabad Forum II - 59
Hyderabad Forum iii - 40