JUDGMENT

Jasti Chelameswar, J.

1. This is an appeal Under Section 23 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 against the order dated 20th December, 2006 of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (for short "the National Commission") in Original Petition No. 341 of 1993. The opposite party/Respondent in the above-mentioned original petition is the Appellant herein. The sole Respondent herein was the complainant before the National Commission.

2. By the impugned Order, the National Commission allowed a complaint filed by the Respondent herein and directed the Appellant herein to pay an amount of Rs. 29,74,321.45 with interest @ 12 per cent per annum from the date of the filing of the complaint till the date of realization apart from the cost quantified at Rs. 25,000/-.

3. The substance of the complaint before the National Commission is as follows:

4. Both the parties to the complaint are public companies under the Companies Act. The Respondent is engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling of yarn and export of fabric of different specifications, whereas the Appellant is engaged in the business of transporting goods from one place to the other for consideration.

5. In the year 1992, the Respondent received an indent for export of 100 per cent cotton yarn fabric specified therein, the details of which are not necessary for the purpose of this judgment. The said indent was placed by one M/s. Aleef Enterprises (Trading), Dhaka calling upon the Respondent to export the goods specified in the indent to M/s. Azim Garments Ltd.. in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

6. According to the complaint, the Respondent was required to dispatch the entitled goods and "negotiate various documents including invoice, consignment copy of the goods received and consignment note bill of exchange etc." through M/s. Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd., allegedly, the banker of M/s. Azim Garments Ltd., Dhaka. [Para 3 of the Complaint: In terms of the said indent, the complainant was required to dispatch the quantities of the said goods and to negotiate various documents including the invoice, consignee copy of the goods receipt/consignment note, bill of exchange etc., and other documents of dispatch through M/s. Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd., the bank of the said M/s. Azim Garments Ltd.]

7. The Respondent averred in the complaint that it had agreed to send the various documents to be negotiated with the said Islami Bank and acceptance by the Respondent's banker i.e. the American Express Bank Ltd.. It is further stated in the complaint that the said Islami Bank was entitled to take delivery of the goods or endorse the consignee copy of the goods receipt/consignment note in favour of M/s. Azim Garments Ltd. [Para 3 of the Complaint: The said documents were agreed to be sent to the said Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd., for negotiation and acceptance by American Express Bank ltd., the bank of the complainant. The said Islamic Bank Bangladesh Ltd. upon acceptance for payment of the said documents including the bill of exchange for the price of the goods consigned, was entitled to either take delivery of the consignment of the said goods itself or endorse the consignee copy of the goods receipt/consignment note in favour of M/s. Azim Garments Ltd.]

8. The Respondent entrusted five consignments of goods to the Appellant on various dates, the details of which are as follows: