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Phoney affair
I purchased a telephone card on November 17, 2003, in order to make a few STD calls from my phone connection. However, due to some technical problem at the Asansol Telecom Division, I could not make the calls. Soon after this, I approached the DGM (&M) and also the GM (Telecom) of Durgapur Telephone Division and they agreed to refund the sum I had spent in buying the card. Accordingly, their representative took back the card from me on November 27, 2003. Till date, however, I have not received the payment. I have since visited the officials several times. Please suggest a suitable remedy
Ramendu Kr Datta,
Bidhan Nagar, Durgapur 713212
West Bengal
No response from authorities
It is indeed unfortunate that BSNL has not kept its word in spite of reminders. This is an example of deficiency in service and you are advised to take up the matter before the District Consumer Forum for relief and redressal.
Waiting for eternity
I had a fixed deposit (no. 0699000032) of Rs 10,000 with M/s Lloyds Finance Limited, Ahmedabad, which matured on January 24, 2000. The company had obtained an ex-parte order from the Western Company Law Board (on December 22, 2000) on instalment payments. After receiving the first instalment of Rs 2,000, I am still waiting for the next two payments that were due on January 24, 2002 and 2003 respectively. My repeated representations to the Law Board and the company have yielded no results. I even pointed out to the Law Board that the company has violated its order and is liable for contempt. What can I do now?
Milan Mukherjee,
Kalindi Housing Estate,
Calcutta 700089
No response from the company
You cannot move the Consumer Fora regarding the first deposit that matured in January 2000, as four years have already lapsed. However, with regard to the other claims, you can safely approach the District Consumer Forum in view of the judgment passed in review petition no. 1932-45 of 2002 passed by the apex consumer commission of the country. The judgment held that a depositor can file a complaint for the due amount under the Consumer Protection Act or approach the Company Law Board under Section 45 (QA). He may, however, follow any one of these routes. The Forum will not admit any case that is pending before the Law Board.
Unjust desserts
I regret to inform you that in spite of regular and dutiful service with Ricker Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, Kalyani, West Bengal, I have not been paid my salary and expenses claim for December 2002 and January 2003. I had resigned from the post of sales manager of the company. I have made several visits to the company office but no one pays heed to my plea. What can I do to recover my dues?
P.K. Basu,
14B, Roypur Road (East),
Calcutta 700032
Company response: We could have settled the accounts of P.K. Basu which got delayed due to our change of address. We need to check certain official records that will require some more time. We have already got in touch with the complainant and have asked him to fix an appointment with the accountant and collect his dues.
Accountant,
Ricker Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd,
Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal
The matter complained of is a dispute between the employer and employee and as such cannot be entertained under the Consumer Protection Act. However, from the company response it appears that it is eager to settle the matter amicably to keep its reputation clean.
No returns
I deposited Rs 1 lakh under fixed deposits with M/s Morepen Laboratories Limited. The deposits matured on October 24, 2003 and accordingly I applied for payment. Till date I have not heard from the company, let alone receiving payment. Please suggest a way out of this trouble.
Sitaram Malpani,
C/ Assam Iron Traders,
Lakhimpur, Assam
No response from company
Non-payment of fixed deposit maturity amount speaks of total deficiency in service of the company. You should initiate a proceeding against the company and claim compensation for harassment.
Where’s the money?
We have applied for a housing loan to Tirupati Exim Pvt Ltd, Calcutta. We deposited Rs 1,500 towards administrative fees by an account payee cheque for availing the ICICI Bank housing loan. The company informed us vide letters number 250517 and 250516 (dated March 28, 2003) that the administrative fee was duly received. Thereafter, the relationship manager of Tirupati Exim advised us to prepare a searching report in a prescribed format. Accordingly, we prepared a report but the company refused to accept the documents and disburse the loan. We have applied for refund of administrative fees but have not received any reply. We have also written to the ICICI Home Finance Company for refund and reimbursement of advocate’s fees spent on preparing the searching report. That too has not produced no result. What can we do now?
P. Chakravarty,
Chinsurah, District Hooghly,
West Bengal
No response from company
From the complaint, it appears that Rs 1,500 was deposited with M/s Tirupati Exim Pvt Ltd as administrative fees for taking house loan from ICICI Bank. The loan application was subsequently turned down by Tirupati Exim. The cause for such refusal is not clear from the letter and as such it is difficult to determine who is at fault — the company or the applicant.
In fact, the ICICI has no role to play in this as it has not accepted the fees for processing the loan and is not at fault.
In as much you were promised the loan and you had complied with all the requirement of disbursement of loan, then you can approach the Consumer Fora against Tirupati Exim and claim refund of administrative fees along with compensation for harassment.
