Dear Sir,

1. This is to intimate you that I, Squadron Leader S K Pandey, a commissioned officer of the Indian Air Force posted at Air Force Station Barrackpore, received an SMS from TM-VICTORIA on my mobile (no. 9331422011) on 22Mar10 at 1833hrs stating the following “Navaratri is here! Victoria Ford offers 10% off on labour and free pick up and drop, top wash till 31st of March, so avail the opportunity, Plz contact 23457758/60, 03340116666, 9230043008, 9903964802”.

2. I decided to avail this facility and therefore contacted Victoria Ford through aforesaid contact nos. I finally could speak to your Manager Ms Ranjana (mobile no.9903964838) on 24Mar10 at about 1645hrs and registered my car AS01Y 9535 for free pick up and drop from my residence. I also intimated the following problems in the vehicle which required inspection and replacement of parts as per requirement. Ms Ranjana booked my car complaint over phone and conveyed that a driver will be coming to my residence on 25 Mar10 to pick up the vehicle for servicing and repair of the undermentioned snags.

(a) Abnormal sound from the fan belt area under the bonnet.
(b) Hydraulic oil leak from the power steering system.
(c) Suspected leak of Engine oil.

3. On 25 Mar10 at 0930hrs (appx) the driver contacted me on my mobile and introduced himself as Mr. Abbas Ali, a Victoria Ford employee and asked for my residential address from where my vehicle was supposed to be picked up. The driver reported to the Main Guard Room of Air Force Station Barrackpore, at 1130hrs on the same day. I was informed by the security staff on duty at main guard room that Mr Abbas Ali of Victoria Ford has come to meet me. I informed the security staff that I am coming to Main Guard Room in my vehicle to meet Mr. Abbas Ali. Following which I drove down to the Main Guard room and met Mr.Abbas Ali .He was wearing his identity card around his neck and a Ford collar batch hooked on to his shirt’s collar. I decided to accompany him to the workshop of Victoria Ford. During our casual discussions he informed me that he was not at all satisfied working with Victoria Ford as they paid him just Rs 4000/-only and tasked him for more that 12hrs daily. He even requested me to arrange a better job for himself.

4. After travelling for a distance of approximately 5 to 6 kilometres, near Barrackpore Chiriamore there was some unusual jerking in the vehicle and the vehicle was not picking up speed, however the vehicle moved slowly up to Talpukur and came to a standstill. The driver stopped the vehicle on the road side, opened the bonnet and touched various electrical fittings probably to check for any loose connections. After this he tried to start the vehicle but same problem persisted. The driver sought some help from nearby motor garage mechanics which did not yield any result. Such an action on his part exhibited his negligent behaviour towards my car. I would have never called up any other mechanic except from Victoria Ford to repair my vehicle.

5. The driver Mr. Abbas Ali then contacted your workshop which should have been done much earlier and asked for the recovery team to recover the vehicle from Talpukur to Victoria Ford. Meanwhile, I also spoke to Ms Ranjana and requested her to do the needful. She assured me of all assistance and also advised me to discuss the issue with Mr Sunil Chamal, DGM of your company. I then called up DGM Mr Sunil Chamal,(9903964840) and requested him to do the needful at the earliest. He assured me with the following words “Pandeyji don’t worry, the vehicle is now under our control and it is our moral responsibility that we will take all necessary steps to recover the vehicle and further will rectify all the snags registered by your complaint at the earliest and now you can comfortably carry on with your other commitments.”

6. After receiving such an assurance from none other than the DGM of the company, I went back home peacefully. At about 1645hrs the driver called me up from a mobile no. and confirmed me that two technicians from their workshop have reached the breakdown site and have started the rectification task. I asked him that from whose mobile he was calling. He replied back saying that it was one of the mechanics mobile no. I told him that I am also coming to the site to see the rectification task. At about 1710hrs I reached the site and saw Victoria Ford mechanics working on my vehicle. I identified them with their identity card. I enquired from them about the probable problems that have occurred in the vehicle. One of the mechanic, Mr Sushanto Das told me that malfunctioning of the fuel pump was suspected by them and they were in the process of replacing it with a new one. I was present on site until the rectification work got completed and the vehicle was declared serviceable. The vehicle was thereafter driven down by the driver with the mechanics sitting inside the car to your workshop. I came back home at about 1800hrs.

7. When I did not receive any information from the workshop about my vehicle’s whereabouts till 1945hrs, I decided to call them up. I enquired with DGM Mr. Sunil about my vehicle and he replied that he will check-up with the workshop staff and get back to me. When I did not receive any further information until 2000hrs, I called up the mobile no. of the mechanic, the driver answered the mobile and informed me that my car caught fire due to some short circuit and a fire brigade was being called for extinguishing the fire. I was totally shocked by the news and my wife got unconscious. I have always cared for my vehicle in the same way as I do for my child and such an incidence happening to my car actually broke me from inside. I did not know what to do now. At about 2030hrs the driver again called me up and informed me that the police have seized the vehicle and I have to come to the Karaya police station, Beck Bagan to resolve the issue.

8. At about 2045hrs I hired a Taxi from Barrackpore Chiriamore and started for Karaya police station. In between I received a call from DGM Mr. Sunil and he informed me that, he along with his team members are waiting at the Karaya police station for me. At about 2200hrs I reached the Karaya police station and saw my car which was fully burned. I broke into tears and could not control myself. DGM Mr. Sunil, who was already available at the police station, saw me and came up to me and introduced himself to me. After this he also introduced his administrative head, sales head and technical head who were present at the site to me. I met all these people for the first time. He told me not to report the matter with police and Victoria Ford will compensate me for the damages. I asked him that how Victoria Ford is going to compensate me for the damages, for which he had no answer. I went up to meet the Officer-in-Charge of the police station Mr.Aloke Kumar Ghosh. Mr. Ghosh gave a patient hearing to my pain and agony and told me to come the next day at about 1400hrs. I came down and told DGM Mr. Sunil that the Officer-in-Charge of Karaya police station has called me tomorrow and I requested your concerned staff to come tomorrow at the same time.

9. On 26 mar 10 at 1230hrs (appx.) I hired a vehicle again from Barrackpore and reached Karaya police station at about 1415hrs. I discussed all my problems and agony with Mr. Prabal Roy at the concerned police station. I was expecting your concerned staff there but they kept me waiting until I called them up and inquired about their whereabouts, they told me that they were busy in some official work for which they won’t be turning up at the police station that day.

10. Sir, I want to bring to your kind notice that I am very fond of my vehicle and love to maintain it always like a new vehicle, it is as close to my heart as my child is and I have tried my level best to keep the vehicle self driven only. I deeply trusted your company and that is the only reason why I had handed over the vehicle to your driver and mechanic. You broke my trust and have landed me nowhere. I suspect that the fuel pump which was replaced by your mechanic at the breakdown site was not properly replaced or there must be some thing else wrong. The driver of the vehicle was mentioning about some short circuit when I enquired about the cause of the accident from him.

11. Sir, I only request you to kindly intervene into the matter and help me in getting my vehicle back in same condition as I had offered to your company staff on 25Mar10. I want my car to be repaired to original shape or else be replaced by another one. I also want you to take definite actions against your concerned staff for total negligence on their part of duty and inefficient handling of on site snag rectification on such a costly car. I also want to intimate you that very shortly due to transferable service I will be transferred from Air Force Station Barrackpore to Air Force Station Bhatinda therefore request a settlement of this problem as early as possible. I sincerely hope that a workable solution to the problem will be possible otherwise I will be compelled to approach the Consumer Court for justice.
Yours’ faithfully,

(SK PANDEY)
SQUADRON LEADER
BASE NET & IT OFFICER
Date Mar 10 AIR FORCE STATION BARRACKPORE

Mailing Address:-

SQN LDR S K PANDEY
BASE NET & IT OFFICER
796 SU AF
AIR FORCE STATION BARRACKPORE
PO- BENGAL ENAMEL
DIST- 24 PARGANAS (WB)
PIN: 743122
E-MAIL:sunil76pandey@gmail.com