HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission - I pulled up PPS Motors Pvt Ltd, a dealer of Volkswagen India in Himayatnagar, for negligence and deficiency of service. The automobile dealer has been directed to refund an amount of Rs 4,94,000 towards the sale of a Volkswagen Polo four-wheeler to Sachin Pohar, a resident of Pragathi Nagar.
Additionally, they have been directed to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation for the financial loss and mental agony suffered by the complainant. An amount of Rs 10,000 also has to be paid to the complainant towards costs.
The complainant contended that when he requested delivery of the car after paying the full amount, representatives of PPS Motors kept on postponing the delivery. Suspecting foul play, the complainant visited the showroom. The representatives, then, informed the complainant that they had used the money paid by the complainant and were unable to deliver the car.
In the course of the enquiry, representatives of PPS Motors confessed that they used the amount paid by the complainant for their personal needs. The documents, coupled with the admission, led the Commission to come to the conclusion that the representatives, by misusing their status and the stationery, influenced the complainant/consumer and acknowledged the receipt of payments made by the complainant.
After the management of PPS Motors came to know about the police complaint lodged by the complainant, the services of both representatives were terminated for misusing the stationery and forging documents.
However, the commission maintained the rule that an employer, though innocent, is responsible for damage caused by the fault or negligence of an employee in the course of his or her employment. The commission said that in case of non-compliance, the refund amount will attract an interest of 6% per annum till payment.