JOIN USReal estate major Unitech Ltd was on Friday directed by the Supreme Court to deposit Rs 5 crore in its Registry over its failure to hand over apartments to the buyers even after three years of the promised date.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan gave August 12 as deadline to the developer for depositing the amount, warning that after that its directors would be sent to judicial custody.
The court issued its order while hearing a plea by Unitech against National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission’s (NCDRC) October 12, 2015, order.
The apex consumer panel had directed the firm to pay compensation and litigation costs for delay in handing over three flats in “Project Burgandy” in Sector 96 at Noida in the National Capital Region.
The apex consumer commission had also directed Unitech to hand over possession of the flats booked by Diwakar Mishra and others on or before October 31, 2017.
The flat buyers had approached the consumer commission alleging that despite having paid more than 95% of the agreed sale consideration, the flats have not been handed over to them and the construction was “still far from complete”.
Advocate Ashwarya Sinha, appearing for the consumers, said the builder had failed to hand over the possession of the apartment which was due to be given on April 16, 2013. Each apartment was priced at Rs 3.8 crore.
The apex court had on May 9 directed Unitech to deposit the amount by June 10. The firm later sought extension of time.