Case: M/s. Nagpur Golden Transport Company (Regd.) Vs. M/s Nath Traders &amp; Others

the respondent No.3 booked a consignment of monoblock pumps with the appellant for transportation from Coimbatore to respondents No.1 and 2 at Gwalior in March, 1997. While the appellant was transporting the consignment in a truck, there was an accident and the monoblock pumps were damaged. The respondents No.1 and 2, therefore, did not take delivery of the 198 damaged monoblock pumps at Gwalior. In the circumstances, the appellant returned the 198 damaged monoblock pumps to the respondent No.3.3. The respondents No.1 and 2 then filed Complaint No.101 of 1998 before the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Gwalior, and their case in the complaint was that they had paid the price of the consignment to respondent No.3 and were entitled to Rs.3,61,131/- towards the price of the monoblock pumps and damages of Rs.70,000/-, loss of profit Rs.14,000/- as well as cost of Rs.5,000/- and interest @ 18% per annum on the amount claimed by them. The appellant resisted the claim contending that the claim was not maintainable under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (for short `the Act). The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, in its order dated 27.01.1999, held that the appellant as a common carrier was the insurer of the goods in transit and if the goods have been damaged, the appellant was liable to respondents No.1 and 2 for negligence. The District Consumer Disputes Forum, therefore, awarded a sum of Rs.3,60,131/- along with interest @ 18% per annum from 01.04.1997 till the date of payment and Rs.500/- as counsel fee and further sum of Rs.500/- as cost of the case.4. Aggrieved, the appellant filed appeal No.202 of 1999 before the Madhya Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Bhopal, and the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in its order dated 07.10.1999 held that there was no legal infirmity in the order of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Gwalior, awarding the sum of Rs.3,60,131/- but took the view that levy of interest @ 18% per annum was penal and instead directed the appellant to pay interest @ 12% per annum on the amount of Rs.3,60,131/- from the date of filing of the complaint (02.03.1998) till the date of payment. The appellant filed a revision but by the impugned order dated 18.02.2003 the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission dismissed the revision.

Court's reasoning:
we are of the considered opinion that if the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum directed the appellant to pay Rs.3,60,131/- to respondents No.1 and 2 and this sum of Rs. Rs.3,60,131/- covered the price of the monoblock pumps and this price of the monoblock pumps had also received by respondent No.3 from the respondents No.1 and 2, the appellant was entitled to the return of the damaged 198 monoblock pumps from respondent No.1. We are also of the view that in case the respondent No.3 has disposed of the 198 monoblock pumps in the meanwhile, the appellant was entitled to the value of the 198 damaged monoblock pumps realized by the respondent No.3. If the damaged monoblock pumps are not returned by respondent No.3 to the appellant or if the value of the damaged monoblock pumps realized by respondent No.3 are not paid to the appellant, respondent No.3 would stand unjustlyare also of the considered opinion that the respondent No.3 was not entitled to any charges towards watch and ward etc. as respondent No.3 should not have retained the damaged monoblock pumps having received the full price of the pumps.9. We, therefore, remand the matter to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Gwalior, with the direction to issue notice to the parties and after taking evidence, if necessary, order the return of the 198 damaged monoblock pumps by respondent No.3 to the appellant and if the 198 damaged monoblock pumps are not available with respondent No.3, to find out the value of the 198 damaged monoblock pumps realized by the respondent No.3 and direct the respondent No.3 to pay the said value to the appellant.