Departmental store fined 8,007 for collecting Rs 7 extra

According to the petitioner, G Thirupathi(40), he had purchased talcum powder from Ananda Departmental store in Palayamkottai on October 14, 2016. There was an offer that a face wash would be given free along with the talcum powder. 

However, when the powder was billed, the rate in the bill was mentioned as Rs 182 against the MRP of Rs 175. Also, a 75 grams soap was given instead of the face wash. 

When Thirupathi questioned why the Rs 7 was billed extra, the person at the bill counter said the rate was fed into the computer and he was not responsible for the rate offered by the company. 

Also, when Thirupathi enquired about the face wash, the cashier in turn retorted, asking whether Thirupathi was interested in an acting career in films and if that was the reason he wanted the face wash. 

Thirupathi, meanwhile, sent a legal notice to the proprietor and cashier of the store but there was no response following which he filed a petition at the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, also called Consumer Court, in Tirunelveli, pointing out to the deficiency in service and demanding compensation for the mental agony that he suffered. 

Based on the petition, the proprietor and the cashier were summoned and, in their response, they stated that there was no deficiency of service as they had given him a free product. 

They also said that they were ready to shell out the extra money collected from Thirupathi. 

R Narayanasamy, president, District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, however, refused to pay heed to their arguments and stated that there was no proof for the departmental store charging Rs 7 extra from the petitioner and also verbally harassing him.

Following that the complainants were fined Rs 8,007, including the Rs 7 collected extra from the petitioner, and were directed to pay the fine within one month.