Dealer failed to provide papers for Hyundai i10; customer wins Rs 1.72 lakh

AI generated image used for representative purposeNEW DELHI: A district consumer commission in West Bengal has directed a car dealer to hand over all documents required to register a Hyundai Grand i10 bought by a man in 2018, after finding that he had been unable to complete the registration process because of the dealer's failure to provide the necessary papers.Case backgroundAccording to the commission order, Tanmay Maity had booked a new Hyundai Grand i10 from Mohan Motor Dealers on June 13, 2018, by paying Rs 5,000 through a cheque. He paid another Rs 95,000 on June 30, 2018. A hire-purchase agreement was also executed with Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd, through which the dealer received Rs 72,000.The complainant alleged that he repeatedly visited the dealer's office and requested the vehicle's registration number, but the dealer failed to provide it. He later learnt that the dealer had not submitted the required documents to the Howrah Regional Transport Office (RTO), West Bengal, for registration of the vehicle.He further alleged that Mohan Motor Dealers had shut all its offices. The car remained parked at his house from the date of delivery, and he claimed that it was deteriorating over time, causing him physical and mental distress.After sending legal notices to the opposite parties without receiving a response, he approached the commission. He sought directions to the dealer and other parties to submit all documents relating to the vehicle to the Howrah RTO so that it could be registered. Alternatively, he sought a refund of Rs 1.72 lakh with compensation. He also claimed Rs 3 lakh as damages.None of the four opposite parties appeared before the commission to contest the complaint. The matter therefore proceeded ex parte against all of them.Commission's findingsThe bench of president Sanjay Mukhopadhyay and members Lipika Ghosh and Manas Bose noted that the complainant had submitted documents showing that an application for registration had been made before the Howrah RTO. However, it said the documents did not establish whether the registration process had been completed.The commission observed that none of the opposite parties had appeared to inform it about the current status of the vehicle's registration. It therefore considered it appropriate to direct the dealer to provide all related documents to the complainant so that he could complete the registration process, if it had remained pending during the case."The document which was submitted by complainant shows that the application for registration has been made before the RTO Howrah for registration of the vehicle and It is not clear from the document produced before us whether the registration process has been completed by the RTO Howrah or not. However, as none of the O.ps. appeared and apprise this commission about the present status of the registration process of the new car delivered to the complainant so, we think it fit to pass suitable direction upon the O.p. no.1 to supply all the related document to the complainant so that complainant can complete the registration process of the new car, if not done within pending period of this case," the commission said.Final orderAnnounced on November 2, 2026, the commission allowed the complaint ex parte and directed the dealer to:Pay Rs 5,000 as litigation costs.Hand over all documents relating to the Hyundai Grand i10 within 45 days.The commission further directed the dealer to refund Rs 1.72 lakh with 9 percent annual interest calculated from the dates the amounts were received if it failed to provide the documents within the stipulated period and the vehicle's registration could not be completed.