Bengaluru man wins Rs 15 lakh after 6-year wait for undelivered car | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: After waiting six years for a car he never received, a city resident has been awarded more than Rs 15 lakh in compensation, refund, and litigation costs by the district consumer disputes redressal commission (Urban). The commission directed Kalyani Motors Pvt Ltd and Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd (both Bengaluru and Mumbai branches) to pay the amount to KA Manjunatha, a 48-year-old resident of Byraveshwaranagar.Manjunatha booked a Maruti Brezza ZDI+ with Kalyani Motors on Sept 10, 2018, by paying Rs 21,000 as booking amount. The total cost of the car was Rs 12.1 lakh. He availed a Rs 9 lakh loan from Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd, agreeing to repay it in 60 EMIs of Rs 22,100. The first EMI was paid on Nov 5, 2018. By Nov 9, 2023, he had paid 53 EMIs, amounting to Rs 12.1 lakh, including the booking amount.Despite regular payments, the vehicle was never delivered. Kalyani Motors initially promised delivery within a week but kept postponing it, citing “technical issues.” Even after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, the car was not delivered. In July 2023, he received a notice from the finance company demanding dues for a vehicle with a registration number. When he checked with the RTO, he found that the number had already been allotted to a different vehicle registered to someone named Vijayalakshmi in Oct 2018.On March 14, 2024, Manjunatha issued a legal notice to Kalyani Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services, demanding the car’s delivery or a refund. Only Kalyani Motors responded, denying liability. Feeling cheated, Manjunatha filed a consumer complaint on May 31, 2024.Kalyani Motors claimed the booking was initially in Manjunatha’s son’s name, who was ineligible for a loan. After transferring it to Manjunatha, a Rs 3 lakh down payment cheque reportedly bounced. The dealer argued that the finance could not be cancelled without consent from both parties. The finance firm, meanwhile, said they disbursed Rs 9 lakh directly to the dealer and continued collecting EMIs.The commission, however, found no evidence that the dealer made formal efforts to collect the balance payment or resolve the issue. On May 2, 2025, it ordered the refund of Rs 12.1 lakh with 8% interest, Rs 3 lakh as compensation, Rs 1.54 lakh from the finance firm, and Rs 15,000 towards litigation costs.
