MAM
Orchard Advertising names Sharmine Panthaky as VP & head of Mumbai ops
MUMBAI: Orchard Advertising has appointed Sharmine Panthaky as vice president and branch head based in the Mumbai office.
She joins from Interspace Solutions, where she worked as national head – retail and customer engagement.
At Orchard, Panthaky will lead the relationship with key clients and work towards the agency’s growth.
Speaking on their move to strengthen its leadership team with this new hire, Orchard Advertising COO Kaizad Pardiwalla said, “Sharmine joins us having had rich experience in business development and leading many national and multinational client relations. In her we found the unique ability to define the purpose for brands and devise business solutions that could unlock their true potential in the market. She will work with a multi-disciplinary team across The Leo Group India’s specialised offerings in digital, retail, activation, etc., thus helping to drive an integrated communication initiative on the brands we partner. I wish her the very best in taking Orchard to new heights.”
Panthaky added, “Orchard has a legacy of great work on brands anyone would be proud to have on their roster. The leadership team has inspiring and exciting plans for the future. The opportunity to be part of this great journey was a no brainer. Since I’m joining mainstream advertising with Orchard after having spent many years in Out of Home, BTL and other disciplines, it gives me great joy and a feeling of being back home. I’m excited to partner clients and contribute hugely in getting great work out, thus helping to grow the agency’s business.”
Panthaky is a marketing and communications professional with over 13 years of media and advertising agency experience across mainline advertising, out of home, engagement, news distribution and BTL.
Brands
Maharashtra panel orders Lodha to refund Rs 5 crore to homebuyers
Consumer court flags unfair practices in long-running property dispute case
MUMBAI: In a sharp rebuke to one of India’s biggest real estate players, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Macrotech Developers to refund nearly Rs 5 crore to a senior citizen couple, Uttam and Anindita Chatterjee. The ruling, delivered on March 13, 2026, calls out the developer for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practices”, bringing closure to a dispute that has stretched over a decade.
The case traces back to 2015, when the couple booked a 3-BHK flat at World Towers in Lower Parel for Rs 12.22 crore, with possession promised within a year. What followed was a series of changes that complicated matters. After deciding to exit the project, they were persuaded to shift to a 4-BHK in another development priced at Rs 8 crore, with delivery scheduled for 2018. However, within months, the price was allegedly increased to Rs 10 crore. After demonetisation reshaped the market, similar flats were reportedly being offered at lower prices, but the couple were not given the benefit.
Despite paying over Rs 2.83 crore, the couple neither received possession nor clarity. Instead, in 2018, the developer unilaterally cancelled the booking, retained part of the amount as earnest money, and argued that the buyers were investors rather than consumers. The commission rejected this claim, observing that casual references to “investment” do not take away consumer rights when the purchase intent is residential.
The bench also held that the developer could not penalise buyers for payment delays while failing to meet its own delivery commitments. It noted the lack of formal documentation for revised terms and termed the prolonged retention of funds without delivering a home as exploitative.
As part of its order, the commission directed the developer to refund Rs 2.83 crore paid by the couple, along with interest at 10 per cent per annum, amounting to around Rs 2.12 crore. In addition, Rs 1 lakh has been awarded for mental agony and Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total payout to over Rs 5 crore. The developer has been asked to comply within two months.
For now, the ruling serves as a reminder that in real estate, shifting terms and delayed promises can carry a significant cost.
