“We have asked both the parties to resolve the issues within a week,” Chief District Officer, Laxmi Dhakal, told myrepublica.com on Tuesday. [break]
“If Avco fails to do so, we will be compelled to take legal action against it as it has collected money from the clients.”
Avco is facing charge of cheating over 100 customers by failing to deliver the ordered vehicles even after taking full or partial payment ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 700,000.
It has now also been revealed that Avco is in conflict with Machhapuchhre Bank, a leading financial institution, over the clearance of documents. Avco has blamed the bank of lingering the release of custom clearance documents even after clearing all outstanding payments to the banks.
It said in a letter to myrepublica.com on Monday that this has been the principal reasons for the delay in delivering the vehicles to its customers.
The CDO had invited Sanjay Pradhan, chairman of Avco International, and the bank authorities to discuss the matter on Monday.
Dhakal informed that Machhapuchhre Bank has accepted that Avco has cleared customs for 90 vehicles. The vehicles are lying at Birgunj border awaiting customs clearance for which payment has been made to the bank five months ago.
DAO sources told myrepublica.com that the real problem has emerged as the bank has used the new loan sanctioned to Avco to clear the companies´ previous outstanding dues. According to the sources, Avco has requested the bank not to mix the vehicle loan to its previous dues.
Avco has claimed that the bank withdrew Rs 150 million from its account without the knowledge of the company.
Meanwhile, more victims have filed complaints at the DAO seeking refund. They have also demanded quick action against Avco.
“We do not want to take the vehicles which have been lying in Birgunj border for so many months. We want refund as soon as possible,” a victim told myrepublica.com on condition of anonymity.
The victim also said, “Although Avco has claimed that it has started giving refund, I have not heard of a single person receiving the money,” adding, “They (Avco owners) have asked some of us to wait one month to get refunds.”
akanshya@myrepublica.com
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