THOMAS JAMES FISHERS Vs. GIRDHARLAL MOHANLAL GANGANI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE complainant is a British National. By complaint filed on 24.11.2010 under Section 17 of the C.P. Act, 1986, the complainant seeks to recover from the O.P. a builder, possession of the suit flat complete in all respects or in the alternative refund of the money paid with interest plus compensation and costs.

(2.) THE complainant during one of his visits to Goa met the O.P. and orally agreed to purchase from him a flat, namely flat No.6, situated on the second floor in the O.P'S. proposed building complex to be known as Gokul Residency situated in survey No. 111/3 of Serula Village, Bardez Taluka, for a sum of Rs. 9.75 lacs and paid to the O.P. in December 1996 a sum of Rs. 3.5 lacs. The O.P. by letter dated 20.9.1996 assured the complainant the refund of Rs. 3.5 lacs in case the complainant failed to obtain RBI approval for the purchase of the said flat.

(3.) ON or about 4.2.1998 the complainant and O.P. entered into a written agreement. The agreement was executed by the O.P. on 4.2.1998. By virtue of this written agreement the O.P. was to deliver the suit flat to the complainant within a period of 12 months.The agreement also stipulated that in the event the O.P. was unable to complete the construction and deliver the possession to the complainant of the suit flat within a said period of 12 months, the complainant was entitled to exercise the option to cancel the agreement and demand immediate refund of all moneys paid to the O.P. and in such an event the O.P. was required to refund to the complainant all the money received without interest, within 60 days of the receipt of the notice in writing in that behalf from the complainant and in case of default of payment of the said money within the stipulated period of 60 days, the builder was made liable to make payment of interest at the rate of 24% p.a. from the date of default till payment.