Pune: The Pune District Consumer Forum has ordered a builder to refund Rs 3 lakh to a police constable who had booked a flat, but was not given its possession.
Policeman Prasad Kumbhar had moved the forum against builders Suraj Pardeshi and Nitin Pardeshi of M/s Pardeshi Associates Dhankawadi.
As per the complaint, Kumbhar had booked a 941.59 sq ft flat in Suraj Kiran building, which was being constructed by the builder in Ambegaon Budruk. The flat was priced at Rs 24.51 lakh and Kumbhar had initially paid Rs 50,000. The builder asked him to pay Rs 7 lakh in cash, then only he would sign the agreement papers.
The complaint further states that after paying the amount, the builder had promised to provide remaining amount on loan at 4 to 5 per cent interest. In March 2015, the builder asked for Rs 2.5 lakh in cash which Kumbhar paid. Later, when the time for approval of loan came, the price of the flat was increased to Rs 31.5 lakh and rate of interest was hiked to 10 to 11 per cent.
Kumbhar showed his reluctance to pay the increased price and asked the builder to return his money i.e. Rs 3 lakh. The builder didn’t return his money. Then, in September 2015, Kumbhar had lodged a complaint against the builder with Bharati Vidyapeeth police station. But, even then, he didn’t get back his money.
Therefore, Kumbhar filed a case through lawyer Reshma Qazi in the district consumer forum. But, the builder didn’t appear before the forum.
After going through the documents, the forum held the builder guilty of deficiency in service and ordered him to refund Rs 3 lakh to Kumbhar, besides paying Rs 15,000 compensation. If the builder fails to pay the amount, it will attract 10 per cent rate of interest from the date of filing of the complaint in 2016.
