CANARA BANK Vs. K S SEETHARAMA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) IN this revision petition challenge is to the order of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Karnataka in Appeal No. 1657/2006 dated 26. 7. 2006 dismissing the appeal of the revision petitioner and confirming the order of the District Forum directing O. P. Nos. 1 and 2 i. e. , Manager, Canara Bank and Chairman, Canara Bank to refund the sum of Rs. 86,547 to the complainant and forward the papers to O. P. No. 3 Deputy Director (Accounts), Coffee Board, Bangalore to process the same to secure payment of 1/3rd interest from the Central Government. Facts of the case in brief :

(2.) THE complainant who is the owner of the coffee estate has secured a loan from Canara Bank Suntikoppa Branch under the Kisan Credit Card Scheme (KCCS ). As on 28. 3. 2002 he was due to the bank Rs. 2,32,856. The complainant had also borrowed Plantation Development Loan (PDL) from the bank and balance amount due as on 27. 3. 2002 was Rs. 4,57,957. As per pass sheet furnished by the bank the total amount due with interest as on 28. 10. 2002 was Rs. 1,79,698 in KCCS 32/1999 and Rs. 4,96,113 in PDL account No. 3/1999.

(3.) AS per the Special Coffee Term Loan Scheme in pursuance of the Government notification the bank debited Rs. 6,75,811 to the loan account of the complainant with an intention to avail the benefit of the scheme announced by the Government notification. The complainant paid Rs. 2,65,642 towards interest which accrued for the period from 1. 4. 2000 to 31. 3. 2005, as the Government of India had announced a package of relief measures to improve coffee sector which was published by the Press Information Bureau. This was also published in news bulletin by the Coffee Board and also in its website. Further, this was published in the Kannada newspaper Prajavani dated 25. 5. 2005 according to which the parties who pay interest on or before June 2005 are entitled to rebate of 2/3 portion of the interest. The extract of the newspaper report which is translated in English reads as follows :