STATE CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, PUNJAB, CHANDIGARH.

Date of institution : 28.01.2025 Reserved On : 20.11.2025 Date of decision : 16.01.2026

1. SBI General Insurance Company Ltd., Head Office: ‘Natraj’ 101, 201, 301, Junction of Western Express Highway & Andheri-Kurla Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai-400069, through its Managing Director.

2. SBI General Insurance Company Ltd., 46, Pusa Road, 2^nd Floor, Karol Bagh, Opp. Metro Piller, 129, Delhi-110005, through its Asstt. Manager, Commercial Claims.

3. SBI General Insurance Company Ltd., 2^nd Floor, SCO 16-17, Feroze Gandhi Market, Ludhiana-141001, through its Manager.

Now through their Authorized Signatory, Jitendra Dhabhai, Chief Manager (Legal), Zonal Office, 46, 3^rd Floor, Karol Bagh, Pusa Road, opp. Metro Pillar, 129, New Delhi-110005.

….Appellants/OPs Versus Bansal Trading Co., Jagera Road, Ahmedgarh, District Sangrur, through its Prop. Naresh Kumar, aged about 50 years son of Jasvir Chand, resident of near Khalsa School, Ward No.14, Ahmedgarh, District Sangrur.

….Respondent/Complainant First Appeal under Section 41 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 against the order dated 24.07.2024 passed by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Malerkotla in RBT/CC No.31 of

2023 (Original No.38 of 2020).

Quorum:-

Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Daya Chaudhary, President Ms. Simarjot Kaur, Member Mr. Vishav Kant Garg, Member

1) Whether Reporters of the Newspapers may be allowed to see the Judgment? Yes/No

2) To be referred to the Reporters or not? Yes/No

3) Whether Judgment should be reported in the Digest? Yes/No Present:-

For the Appellants : Sh. Krishna Kant, Advocate For the Respondent : None.

JUSTICE DAYA CHAUDHARY, PRESIDENT Appellants/OPs i.e. SBI General Insurance Company Ltd. and others have filed the present Appeal under Section 41 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 being aggrieved by the order dated 24.07.2024 passed by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Malerkotla (in short, “the District Commission”), whereby the Complaint filed by the Respondent/Complainant had been partly allowed.

2. It would be apposite to mention here that hereinafter the parties will be referred, as had been arrayed before the District Commission.

3. Briefly, the facts of the case, which are necessary for disposal of the present Appeal are that the Respondent/Complainant filed the Complaint before the District Commission with the following prayer:

i) The OPs be directed to pay an amount of ₹11,73,857.58 along with interest at the rate of 18% per annum from the date of loss till 12.01.2019;

ii) To pay compensation of ₹50,000/- for causing mental agony and harassment to the Complainant;

iii) To pay an amount of ₹11,000/- towards litigation expenses.

4. Upon issuance of notice in the said Complaint, the OPs had appeared before the District Commission through Counsel and filed the written reply, wherein certain preliminary objections were raised. All other averments as made in the Complaint were denied. It was prayed that the Complaint be dismissed.

5. By considering the contents of the Complaint and reply thereof filed by the OPs as well as after hearing the oral arguments raised from both the sides, the Complaint was partly allowed by two Members namely Ms. Surinderpal Kaur and Mr. Amarjit Singh Mahal of the District Commission vide impugned order dated 24.07.2024. The relevant portion of said order as mentioned in Para-

18 is reproduced as under:

“18. In view of the above discussion, Complaint of the Complainant is partly allowed and OPs are directed to pay Rs.1,66,016/- to the Complainant jointly and severally within a period of 45 days from the date of receipt of the certified copy of this order failing which they are liable to pay interest at the rate of 6% per annum from the date of order till realization. The OPs are further directed to pay Rs.15,000/- as consolidated amount of compensation on account of mental tension, harassment and litigation expenses. Copy of the order be supplied to