After an agonizing six-year ordeal without receiving the car he paid for, a Bengaluru resident has been awarded over ₹15 lakh in compensation, refund, and legal costs by the city’s district consumer disputes redressal commission.
KA Manjunatha, 48, of Byraveshwaranagar, booked a Maruti Brezza ZDI+ from Kalyani Motors on September 10, 2018, paying ₹21,000 upfront. The vehicle’s price was ₹12.1 lakh. He secured a ₹9 lakh loan from Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services, agreeing to repay it in 60 EMIs of ₹22,100. Despite paying 53 EMIs by November 2023—totalling ₹12.1 lakh—he never received the car.
Kalyani Motors initially promised delivery within a week but repeatedly delayed it, citing technical problems. Even after COVID-19 restrictions eased, no vehicle arrived. In July 2023, Manjunatha was stunned to receive a dues notice mentioning a registration number. An RTO inquiry revealed that the number belonged to a different car registered under someone named Vijayalakshmi back in October 2018.
In March 2024, he sent a legal notice demanding delivery or refund. Kalyani Motors denied liability, claiming a bounced down payment cheque and confusion over loan eligibility. The finance company said it disbursed funds directly to the dealer and continued collecting payments.
The commission found both companies negligent and ordered them to repay ₹12.1 lakh with 8% interest, ₹3 lakh compensation, ₹1.54 lakh from the finance firm, and ₹15,000 in litigation expenses.