Supreme Court: Stating that a property developer has to respect the contractual commitment, the 3-Judge Bench of Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and A.M. Khanwilkar, JJ said that the developer has to live up to the terms of the contract and gain trust so that the people who dream of houses can repose faith in him.
In the case at hand, the 39 respondents had argued that their patience is on the burial pyre and they cannot wait any longer believing in the concept of optimism and expectation, for the appellant had not built the flats as assured, and in fact, compelled them to land up in such a financial crisis that they had never conceived of.
Taking note of the contention of the respondents, the Court said that the appellant by delaying or procrastinating the completion of the flats cannot base its stand on excuses or any subterfuge to advance the stand that the constructions take time. It is “flat” or “money” and nothing else.
The appellant had suggested that it would complete three towers by the end of April, 2017 and would hand over possession to some of the respondents by that time and further the respondents can be allowed to take some amount by direction of this Court that is to say that the respondents can be distributed Rs.5,00,00,000/- towards the principal and be handed over flats by the end of April, 2017 and some shall be given thereafter when the other towers are complete. The rest of the amount, that is, Rs.10,00,00,000/- that have been deposited before the Registry of this Court be allowed to be refunded to the appellant for facilitating the construction.
Considering the fact that the respondents were not interested in the flats and hadmade a demand for refund of money because they have fought the litigation with ceaseless vigour and enormous hope, the Court said that the principal amount deposited by the respondents amounts to Rs.16,55,02,525/- as Rs.15,00,00,000/- have been invested and some interest has accrued, let the same be given to the respondents on pro rata basis on proper identification by the learned counsel. The Court directed that the appellant company is directed to deposit a further sum of Rs.2,00,00,000/- within four weeks hence. [Unitech Residential Resorts Ltd. v. Atul Gupta, 2016 SCC OnLine SC 1155 , decided on 19.10.2016]
