1 The appellant had booked a consignment of 77 packages of mulberry/natural silk garments with the respondent for being carried from NOIDA (U. P.) to Bombay to be delivered to M/s Jeena & Co., who were the clearing agents of the appellant. The consignment was to be exported to the United Kingdom as the appellant had imported raw silk free of customs duty for the manufacture of garments, to be exported back to the United Kingdom. The goods along with copies of Invoice No. NBI-7493 dated 9-3-1994 were entrusted to the respondent who issued Consignment Note No. 52330 dated 11-3-1994 to the appellant. Since the consignment was not delivered at Bombay, the appellant wrote a letter to the respondent on 21-3-1994 mentioning the non delivery of consignment. On 24-3-1994, the appellant received a letter dated 19-3-1994 from the respondent through which he came to know that the consignment which was stored at a godown in Bhiwandi was completely destroyed by fire. After serving legal notice on the respondent and after considering its reply, the appellant filed a claim petition before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi (for short "the National Commission"), for reco