A woman has filed a civil suit against Maruti Suzuki and one of its dealerships in Chandigarh for refusing to transfer the ownership of her old car and allowing a third person to have control of the vehicle without getting it noted in the name of the new owner.
The suit has been filed by Kulpreet Kaur against Maruti Suzuki India Limited and Autopace Network Private Limited (car dealership) in the district court in Chandigarh. Meanwhile, the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA), Chandigarh and the principal secretary (Transport), Himachal Pradesh, have also been made respondents in the case.
Through her counsel, advocate Ajay Pal Singh, Kaur said she purchased a brand-new car from Autopace Network – a Maruti Suzuki Fronx – and before the purchase, Maruti Suzuki and the dealership, promised her that she would be compensated suitably in case she chose to return her earlier car, Hyundai i10, while buying the new vehicle from the showroom. The applicant said the dealership assured her a handsome amount would be paid to her in the form of “suitable adjustments” in the total value of the new car she was buying, in case she handed over the keys of her old vehicle.
Kaur said she exchanged her old car to the dealership, for which the company and dealership gave a decent incentive by adjusting the value of the used car from the total value of the car that she was purchasing.
She said she bought the car in September 2023.
However, the applicant’s counsel argued that she was running from pillar to post to find out if, as promised, her old car had been transferred in the name of the new purchaser.
However, she found out that the used car has not so far been transferred, and is lying at an undisclosed place, but in her name on paper.
On following up with the company and dealership, she was informed her car was handed over to a local car dealer – Jainendra Bhalla of Sector 47, Chandigarh, and he further sold the vehicle to some unknown person. Kaur said that despite her repeated requests, Bhalla has not given any assurance that he will get the vehicle transferred in the name of the new purchaser.
As per advocate Singh, that vehicle in the name of Kaur on the road is not under her control.
Kaur said she has written to Maruti Nexa, Transport Authority of Chandigarh, and RTO office stating that she has given up the ownership of her car for all purposes, and it is still running in her name on paper, then appropriate steps should be taken to ensure that the car is deregistered from her name.
The applicant said she strongly apprehends that her car may be used for illegal purposes. She also fears that in case of an accident, the responsibility of the car should not fall on her.
Kaur has sought that until the car is registered in the name of the current owner, it should be taken by the court into its custody and should not be allowed to run on roads.
Hearing Kaur’s plea, the Chandigarh Court has issued notice in the matter. The case will now come up for hearing on July 24.