"They (Registrar of the Co-operative Societies and special officers) cannot be held personally liable for non-refund of deposits by the co-operative society on the ground that the society was suffering from financial crunch," said a Commission Bench headed by Justice M B Shah.

The apex Consumer Commission ruled this while deciding over 440 revision petitions filed by the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Tamilnadu, against the order of the State Consumer Commission which had held the Registrar and others are liable to refund the money to depositors.

Depositors had invested in Tirucharapalli Consumer Wholesale Stores Ltd (TCWSL), a co-operative society, which had opened a chain of retail general stores after receving investments from the public.

Earlier, Tamilnadu Consumer Protection Council (TCPC), a representative body of investors, had approached a local consumer forum at Tirucharapalli seeking refund of their hard-earned money after the TCWSL refused refund of Rs 5.75 Crore on the ground that its financial health was not good.

The TCPC, in its complaints, had alleged that the Registrar be also made liable as it was he who had given the permission to the society to collect investments from the common public which was allowed.

The State Consumer Commission had also upheld the forum's verdict and in the meanwhile, TCWSL deposited the amount with the Consumer forum.