Ahmedabad, 1 August 2012

Taking serious note of unfair trade practices adopted by an Ahmedabad-based international courier service, a local consumer forum has ordered the service provider a significant amount as a compensation for deficiency in the services along with litigation cost and compensation for mental harassment faced by the victim. The case against the service provider was filed by Ahmedabad-based NGO Consumer Education & Research Society (CERS) as the main complainant. The order was received on 2/7/2012.

As per the case detail, Mr. L. V. Patel, a resident of Ahmedabad, sent a parcel containing sweets, medicines and clothes to her daughter living in Philadelphia, US on November 5, 2008 through M/s. Vijay International Courier, Ahmedabad. The declared cost of the parcel was about Rs. 15,000 and sweets and clothes were to be used for the forthcoming Diwali festival. The service provider had assured to deliver the parcel within four to five days latest by November 10, 2008 and collected the courier charges of Rs. 3,500 in advance.

However, the company failed to deliver the parcel on time and the parcel delivered to Mr. Patel’s daughter – Priyanka Patel on November 13, 2008 was originally sent to another person. So she returned the parcel and she got the original parcel meant for her only on November 19, 2008 i.e. after 14 days. The sweets sent in the parcel were also spoilt and not eatable. Family of her daughter could also not celebrate the Diwali with the new clothes due to delay.

As the service provider had not fulfilled the promise, Mr. Patel decided to take legal action and approached CERS. CERS filed a complaint in this regard in Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (City), Ahmedabad. Highlighting the deficiency in services, it sought compensation of Rs. 15,000 with 12% interest towards the cost of parcel, Rs. 10,000 as a compensation for mental harassment faced by the sender of parcel and Rs. 3,000 towards cost of litigation.

The forum issued notice to the opponent, but nobody from their side came forward for defense. So after hearing the case and considering all the facts, the consumer forum headed by Shri A. K. Aswani, accepted the plea made by the complainants and order the courier service provider to pay Rs. 5,950 with 9% interest from 5/11/2008 till realization, Rs. 1,500 for mental agony and Rs. 1,000 towards litigation cost.

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