Brands
Akshat Shrivastava takes charge as head of brand marketing at Bestseller India
MUMBAI: Akshat Shrivastava has vaulted into a heavyweight role as head of brand marketing for Jack & Jones, Selected and Jack & Jones Junior at Bestseller India — a move that signals both momentum and muscle in India’s hyper-competitive fashion arena.
Shrivastava steps in after a two-year run as GM – marketing and PR at Reliance Brands, where he steered marquee launches and sharpened brand narratives across a sprawling luxury and premium portfolio. Before that, he spent over five years shaping Crocs India’s marketing engine, rising from marketing manager to senior manager and helping the brand gain cultural swagger.
His earlier innings include a three-year spell at V-Mart Retail driving visual communication, sales promotions, PR, digital marketing, campaign execution and CRM; a near four-year run at Media Moments leading PR, fashion communication, digital spends, influencer strategy and even IPL-linked sports management; and stints at India Infoline PreMIA and Starwood Hotels, where he cut his teeth in business development, corporate sales and trade marketing.
With Bestseller’s youth-charged denim, casualwear and premium fashion labels under his command, Shrivastava now has the runway to craft brand heat at scale — and he looks primed to hit the market at full throttle.
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.
