Noida: A district consumer commission has ordered Greater Noida-based Ansal Hi-Tech Townships Limited to refund a homebuyer who booked a flat in 2014, paid instalments over several years and received an allotment letter — but never got possession.Sanjay Agrawal, a Sector 22 resident, had booked a flat in Ansal’s A2 Sushant Megapolis project in Greater Noida. He paid a registration amount of Rs 250 in March 2014, followed by a booking amount of Rs 15,000 and subsequent instalments totalling Rs 1 lakh — against a total flat cost of Rs 3.25 lakh. An allotment letter was issued on April 10, 2015.Years passed without possession. When Agrawal learnt the building had not been completed, he asked the developer to cancel the booking and return his money with interest. The developer did neither.Agrawal approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on July 10, 2022. Notices were served to Ansal Hi-Tech Townships, but the firm filed no written response and sent no representative. Proceedings were initiated ex parte on August 22, 2023.The commission, comprising chairperson Anil Kumar Pundir and member Anju Sharma, heard Agrawal’s arguments on the basis of documents and an affidavit he submitted. It found that he had paid instalments as per the agreed schedule and that the developer had failed to deliver possession.“It is clear from the facts, circumstances and records of the case that the complainant paid instalments to the opponent from time to time as per the terms and conditions, whereas the opponent has been deficient in service by not giving possession of the flat even after taking payment,” the commission ruled.The commission ordered Ansal Hi-Tech Townships to pay Agrawal Rs 1,00,762 along with 6% interest calculated from the date of the complaint to the date of payment, within 30 days. An additional Rs 2,000 was awarded towards litigation costs and mental agony.The order was passed ex parte in the absence of any representation from the developer.Ansal Hi-Tech Townships has faced similar orders in other cases before the commission.
