Wed Sep 17 09:42:58 UTC 2025: ## DMDK Leader Fails to Evade Refund to Elderly Widow in Chennai Flat Dispute

**Chennai, India – September 17, 2025** – The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition filed by DMDK leader L.K. Sudhish and his wife S. Poornajothi, upholding an order requiring them to refund ₹98.27 lakh plus 9% interest to an elderly widow who never received possession of a booked flat in a Chennai high-rise.

The case stems from a 2019 agreement where C.D. Padmanabhan, a retired Director of the Indian Meteorological Department, and his wife P. Pushpavathi, booked a flat in the ‘M One’ residential complex developed by Lokaa Developers. The couple, using Padmanabhan’s retirement savings, paid nearly ₹1 crore with the promise of possession within 18 months. However, the flat was never delivered, and the couple subsequently discovered the land was unsuitable for construction.

After filing a complaint with the Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC), an ex-parte order was issued in March 2025, directing Sudhish, his wife, and Lokaa Developers to refund ₹98.27 lakh with interest.

Sudhish and Poornajothi then appealed to the High Court, arguing that as landowners under a joint development agreement, the responsibility for the refund should solely fall on the developers, Santhosh Sharma and Lalith Kumar.

However, a bench led by Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava dismissed the petition, directing the couple to approach the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) to challenge the SCDRC’s order. The court stated that their claim that they wouldn’t be reliable to pay any money is not supported by any provision.

The case is further complicated by the death of C.D. Padmanabhan, leaving his wife as the sole claimant.

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