HYDERABAD: The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) has directed Anjaniputra Infrastructure, a group housing residential project, to pay a compensation of Rs 37 lakh besides refunding the amount for not delivering the duplex houses booked by the complainants.
The complaint that dates back to 2013 was filed by brothers Bandreddy Hemchand and Bandreddy Venkata Ramana. Based in USA, the duo were presented with proposals of duplex houses by Anjaniputra Infrastructure back in 2009. The homes were supposed to come up in Kolwokole village in Maheshwaram as part of Samskruti project. The brothers agreed to buy two duplex homes in the township, at Rs 22.5 lakh each. As per the conditions, once the payment was done, the project was to be finished in 18 months.
As soon as the proposals were made, the duo transferred Rs 41 lakh through US dollars in May 2009. Though the payment was acknowledged, the houses were not delivered. In 2013, the duo filed a complaint with the SCDRC and even filed a cheating complaint at a metropolitan magistrate court against one of the managing directors, Sujith Reddy. Meanwhile, the construction firm held that the complainants did not pay the full amount of Rs 45 lakh, but only Rs 41 lakh. It also held that the complainant was not a consumer and that the signatures were forged.
However, in its judgment, the SCDRC took a serious view against the firm and directed that Rs 41 lakh paid by the duo was to be reimbursed and that an interest of 9 per cent on the amount paid (Rs 35 lakh) should also be given to them. A compensation of Rs 1 lakh besides court charges of Rs 5,000 was also to be paid, the commission said.