Final Order / Judgement | - Brief fact of the case of the complainant is that on 13.06.2016 he purchased one HTC mobile handset from O.P.No.1 bearing model no. HTC Desire 628 GT having IMEI No. 357292070932779 and Sl. No. 3R7B164J002318 vide challan no. 021 dated 13.06.2016 for consideration of Rs. 14,700/- alongwith warranty certificate. It is alleged that after 6 months of its purchase, the alleged mobile handset showed some defects like automatic switch off, screen problem, hanging problem for which he deposited the said mobile handset with the O.P. No. 1, who after keeping the said mobile handset for some days, returned the same stating that of being repaired.Further, it is alleged that at the time of its use, he found that the IMEI number of the alleged mobile handset has been changed and some additional defects are existed in the said mobile and said mobile became defunct and several approaches made to the O.P. No.1 became fruitless.Thus alleging the unfair trade practice and deficiency in service on the part of the O.Ps, complainant has filed this case with a prayer to direct the O.Ps to refund the cost of the mobile handset and to pay Rs. 30,000/- and Rs. 5,000/- towards compensation and costs of litigation to her.
- On the other hand, the O.P. No. 1 after receiving the notice of this Fora, appeared in this case and filed his counter admitting the sale of the alleged mobile handset to the complainant and the service provided by him and have stated that after receiving the said mobile handset from the complainant, he sent to the authorized service center of O.P.No.2 for its repair and after being repaired, he handed over the mobile handset to the complainant and thereafter the complainant never visited to his shop for further complaint, as such denying his liability, he prayed to dismiss the case against him.
- The O.P. No. 2 though received the notices from the Fora, but did not choose to appear in this case nor filed their respective counters nor participated in the hearing also, inspite of repeated adjournments were given to him keeping in view of natural justice for his submissions, as such we lost every opportunities to hear from them for which the allegations of complainant made against O.P. No. 2 became unrebuttal.
- Except complainant no other parties to the present dispute, have filed any documents. Heard from the complainant as well as from the O.P.No. 1. O.P. No. 2 is totally absent throughout the proceedings, as such the document filed by the complainant remained unchallenged. Perused the record and material documents available therein.
- In the instant case, there is no dispute regarding purchase of the alleged mobile handset by the complainant from the O.P.No.1 bearing model no. HTC Desire 628 GT having IMEI No. 357292070932779 and Sl. No. 3R7B164J002318 vide challan no. 021 dated 13.06.2016 for consideration of Rs. 14,700/- alongwith warranty certificate and complainant has filed document to that effect. The allegations of complainant is that after 6 months of its purchase, the alleged mobile handset showed some defects like automatic switch off, screen problem, hanging problem for which he deposited the said mobile handset with the O.P. No. 1, who after keeping the said mobile handset for some days, returned the same stating that of being repaired and during its use, he found that the IMEI number of the alleged mobile handset has been changed and some additional defects like ear phone, automatic display off and blue tooth system are not working properly. Such allegations of complainant have never been challenged by the O.P. No. 1 who was present at the time of hearing, so also the absence of O.P.No.2 in the present proceeding makes the allegations of complainant strong and vital and remained unchallenged.
- Though the O.P. No. 1 filed his counter challenging the versions of complainant, but did not produce any cogent evident regarding to the effect that the complainant has never visited to his shop for further complaint, rather the O.P. No. 1 has admitted that he has repaired the said mobile handset through the service center of the O.P.No.2. Further absence of O.P.No. 2 made it clear that they have nothing to say in this regard.
- The allegations of the complainant regarding the fact that after its first repair made by the O.P.No.1, he found some additional defects including the previous defects, for which he approached the O.P.No.1, was well corroborated by him at the time of hearing. Though the O.P.No.2 have received the notice from the Fora but did not choose to appear in the case nor filed their counter version to make it contradict, therefore, the allegations of complainant is well established.
- Further at the time of hearing, it is also averred by the complainant that due to unfair trade practice followed by the O.Ps., he could not get the utility of the alleged mobile handset and the handset is lying dead. From the record, it is ascertained that the O.P. No.1 though have filed his counter stating that he has sent the alleged mobile handset to the O.P. No. 2 for rectification of its defects, but miserably failed to produce any documentary evidences to that effect, hence the versions of O.P.No.1 is not believable at this stage. And since the O.P.No.2 is absent in this case, we lost opportunities to ascertain the exact defects of the alleged mobile handset.
- Further, the defects were occurred during the warranty period though the mobile handset was used for 6 months, which was supposed to be repaired by the O.P. No. 1 through the authorized service center and whereas without providing his best service, the O.P.No.1 remained silent over it, which is not permissible in the eye of law, as it is the first and foremost duty of the O.P. No. 1 to provide his best services to his genuine customer i.e. complainant since the O.P.No.2 is not having any authorized service center in the present locality, and had the O.P. No.1 provided the service in proper manner towards repair of the alleged mobile handset than the defects in the mobile handset could have easily rectified and the complainant would not have suffered and in our view, such type of practice adopted by the O.P. No. 1 is clearly established the principle of deficiency in service.
- Further it was the duty of O.P.No.1 that on the day when he received the alleged mobile handset from the complainant, immediately he was supposed to intimate the O.P.No. 2 for providing better service to their genuine customer. But without providing better service to his customer, the O.P.No.1 left the complainant in a mid-way where the complainant would not get any source to sort out the problems, which is also not permissible as per law. Further it is the prime duty of the O.P.No.2 to check over such matter and day to day activity of the upgradration of their service strategy in the market, but without doing so, the O.P. No.2 kept silent over the matter, which attract the principle of unfair trade practice. Further lying the said mobile handset for a period more than 2 years without any use, in our view, is of no use.
- Hence considering the above discussions, we feel, the complainant deserves to be compensated with adequate compensation and costs for non providing better and proper service by the O.Ps to their valuable customer, as the complainant must have suffered some mental agony and physical harassment, for which he was compelled to file this case incurring some expenses. Considering her sufferings, we feel a sum of Rs. 3,000/- towards compensation and Rs. 2,000/- towards cost of litigation will meet the ends of justice. Hence this order.
ORDER The complaint petition is allowed in part and the O.P. No. 2 being the manufacturer of the alleged product is herewith directed to refund the cost of the alleged mobile handset i.e. Rs. 14,700/- to the complainant within one month from the date of receipt of this order, failing which, the said amount shall carry interest @ 12% per annum from the date of this order till payment and also to pay Rs. 3,000/- towards compensation and Rs. 2,000/- towards costs of litigation to the complainant.
Pronounced in the open Forum on this the 15th day of November, 2018. Issue free copy to the parties concerned. | |