Bengaluru: NCDRC directs Mantri Developers to compensate owners' association

Bengaluru, Oct 12
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) had mandated Mantri Developers to refund a total of Rs 7.12 crore to Mantri Residency Apartment Owners Welfare Association (MRAOWA) in Bengaluru.

The order was passed following the complaint by Shivakumar Krishnamurthy, a resident of Mantri Residency.

He had filed a petition for the homebuyers about the non-return of lumpsum refundable maintenance deposits collected during the purchase of flats.

The issue surfaced when the maintenance agency handed over the facilities to MRAOWA without transferring the refundable maintenance deposits.

This led to an official complaint which was lodged before the NCDRC against Mantri Developers and others, seeking justice for the affected homebuyers.

The MRAOWA then filed an execution application before the NCDRC, Delhi, seeking to recover the said amounts.

However, due to years of inactivity, the NCDRC recently issued non-bailable warrants against Sushil Mantri and bailable warrants against Prateek and Snehal Mantri.

Later, a writ petition was filed before the division bench of the Karnataka High Court, challenging the NCDRC's order.

Senior advocate Shyam Sundar represented Prateek Mantri and Snehal Mantri during the proceedings and advocate Anirudh Suresh represented the MRAOWA.

The division bench of the Karnataka High Court stayed the bailable warrants, however, directed both the petitioners i.e. Prateek Mantri and Snehal Mantri to appear before the NCDRC after hearing both sides argue in length which was a big relief to the homebuyers.

However, in a recent court hearing on September 23, 2024, Sushil Mantri, representing Mantri Developers, appeared before the NCDRC and confirmed that the company was ready to refund the principal amount to the homebuyers.

The NCDRC had ruled in favour of the homebuyers, ordered Mantri Developers to refund the maintenance deposits amounting to Rs 23,000 to Rs 56,000 within six months, and gave a delay compensation of six per cent from September 1, 2017.