The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed embattled real estate firm Unitech Residential Resorts Limited to pay ₹80,000 each as compensation to 39 home buyers towards litigation cost and for causing harassment.
NCDRC order
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and A. M. Khanwilkar disposed of the appeal filed by the real estate company against the order of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) and asked it to pay the cost within eight weeks to the home buyers.
Thirty-nine home buyers had booked flats in Unitech’s Vistas project in Gurugram and sought a refund of the principal amount or ₹16.55 crore with interest, after the developer, who had promised to give possession by 2012, delayed it. The court modified the NCDRC’s order on the issue of compensation and awarded a compensation of ₹80,000, besides refund of the money invested by the home buyers, who said they did not want the flats.
Earlier, the firm had told the court that it had complied with directions on refund of principal and interest to home buyers of its Gurugram project. Prior to this, the court had directed the firm to deposit 14% interest on ₹16.55 crore invested by the 39 buyers and warned it that failure to pay could invite attachment of the realtor’s property.
Over two dozen home buyers of Unitech’s projects in Noida and Gurugram had approached the NCDRC after the builder failed to give possession of flats as per schedule. The forum had asked Unitech to refund the money to the home buyers with interest.
