Man sentenced to 3 years in jail for failing to comply with consumer commission order

Mangaluru: A man was arrested and remanded in judicial custody after the district consumer disputes redressal commission in Udupi sentenced him to three years simple imprisonment for wilfully failing to comply with its order in a consumer dispute involving registration of an apartment or payment of compensation.Decree holder Santosh Pai had filed a consumer complaint against Amruth Shenoy, a Congress functionary, before the district consumer disputes redressal commission, Udupi. The case, was heard by the commission, which directed respondent to register flat No. 304 in Vaigar apartment in favour of the complainant. Alternatively, the respondent was ordered to pay Rs 27.2 lakh with 9% annual interest.However, the respondent failed to comply with the commission’s order.Consequently, the complainant filed execution case seeking enforcement of the order. Observing that the respondent had wilfully disobeyed orders, the commission held him guilty of an offence punishable under Section 72 of the consumer protection act, 2019. On Wednesday, the commission sentenced Amruth Shenoy to three years simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh. It further ordered that, in default of payment of the fine, he would undergo an additional six months’ simple imprisonment.

Acting on the warrant issued by the commission, authorities arrested Amruth Shenoy on Thursday, and produced him before the commission, which remanded the accused to judicial custody, following which he was lodged in Hiriyadka sub-jail.