IMPORTANT POINT
Existence of agreement cannot be assumed.

Vinay Kumar, Member—Aggrieved by order of State Consumer Commission, UT of Delhi in Complaint Case No.83 of 1994, the Complainant, Pasco Enterprises had filed this appeal. The appellant/Complainant was in the business of export of carpets. The complaint related to export of a consignment of 71 carpets to a consignee in Hamburg, Germany. The cargo reached Hamburg, but the consignee did not take delivery. Eventually, the goods were disposed of in auction resulting in loss to the Complainant. He, therefore, filed the consumer complaint to recover Rs. 7.19 lakhs towards the value of the consignments and Rs.3.45 lakhs towards damages and other expenses.

2. The case of the Complainant before the State Commission was that over three months after the shipments of goods through the respondent Air France, the Complainant learnt in April,1993 that the consignment was still lying in the store of Air France at Hamburg Air Port. The Complainant requested the respondent to keep the consignment in their stores until some arrangement is made for the same. Towards this, an advance of storage charge was paid to the respondent on 2.4.1993. The respondents were also informed that one of the partners of the Complainant’s firm was on his way to Germany to arrange lifting of the goods. It is alleged that due to the negligence of the respondents the goods were allowed to be auctioned, in spite of payment for storage being made in advance.

3. The allegations were denied by the respondents, stating that:

“As the shipment of the petitioner was not picked up by the consignee, a fact which was well within the knowledge of the petitioner and as the same shipment remained in the German Custom warehouse ad the German Custom impounded the same as the consignment was not picked up by the consignee.”

4. It is further claimed by the respondents that the Complainant was informed about it on 12.2.1993 and 19.2.1993. Thereupon, they were informed by the Complainant that the consignee will take delivery latest by 15.4.1993. When no delivery was taken, the Complainant was informed on 5.6.1993. The goods on reaching the destination, were in the Customs warehouse, which is exclusively controlled by the local government. The Airlines have no role to play. However, on the request of the Complainant, they were advised to send alternative disposal instructions together with total storage charges till 25.3.1993. It was categorically stated in the response of the appellant/Air France before the State Commission that:-

“Under the rules and regulations, after waiting for a reasonable period and after 90 days from the date of arrival at the destination, the shipment is regarded as abandoned. Two reminders were already given to the complainant first on 12th February and the second on 19th February, 1993. The shipment was still lying undelivered. When the shipment is on collect basis, the air freight charges and all other charges due to the carrier, if any, are debited to the accounts of the consignor. In this case, no such alternative instructions also came and the Hamburg Customs Authorities impounded and sold the goods as the consignee had not taken the delivery till the end of May1993. The petitioner was duly informed on 5th June, 1993 by telegram.”

5. The State Commission did not accept this explanation of the complainant and concluded that—

“Let us assume for the sake of arguments that the stand taken by the OP is correct. Still the fact remains that the goods reached Hamburg on 6ht January 1993 and the amount of Rs 85,000 was paid by the complainant till 15th April 1993. So the demurrage even if we calculate from 6th January 1993 to 15th April 1993 i.e. 100 days comes to be Rs 34,000 @ 44 DM per day. This demurrage charges till 25th March 1993 comes to DM 3432 but up to 15th April 1993 the complainant had paid DM 4400 equivalent to Rs 85,000… …………….The circumstance of accepting Rs 85,000 towards advance storage charges up to 2nd April 1993 it