DTH firm fined for 'unfair trade practice'

  • | Wednesday | 16th January, 2019

On being asked how monthly charges escalated from Rs 298 to Rs 349, the complainant was told that he had opted for the pack of Rs 349 on telephone.He filed a complaint in this regard. However, an official of Airtel DTH informed him that it was done by an outsourced person and they did not maintain the record of their conversation. No such record was produced that there was any such request. Alleging unfair trade practice, Ankur asked the company to restore his original plan and pay damages.The Airtel DTH authorities stated in their reply that the plan was changed and hiked from Rs 298 to Rs 349 as per the request of the complainant. On April 8, the complainant changed his plan to ‘my plan 199 super-1 M’ pack which was duly informed, and it was activated with a monthly rent of Rs 99.The complainant was supposed to recharge his account with Rs 298 per month as being done in previous months, but he was informed that his current monthly charges were Rs 349.

CHANDIGARH: The District Consumer Disputes Redressel Forum has directed Airtel DTH office and Guru Nanak Radios to pay Rs 8,000 as compensation for increasing the monthly charges without any request from the customer.The firms have been further directed to restore the original plan requested by the subscriber and also to pay Rs 2,000 as the litigation cost.Ankur Soni, the complainant had stated in his complaint that he had purchased Airtel Digital TV connection from Guru Nanak Radios on March 6, 2017. On April 8, the complainant changed his plan to ‘my plan 199 super-1 M’ pack which was duly informed, and it was activated with a monthly rent of Rs 99.The complainant was supposed to recharge his account with Rs 298 per month as being done in previous months, but he was informed that his current monthly charges were Rs 349. On being asked how monthly charges escalated from Rs 298 to Rs 349, the complainant was told that he had opted for the pack of Rs 349 on telephone.He filed a complaint in this regard. However, an official of Airtel DTH informed him that it was done by an outsourced person and they did not maintain the record of their conversation. Alleging unfair trade practice, Ankur asked the company to restore his original plan and pay damages.The Airtel DTH authorities stated in their reply that the plan was changed and hiked from Rs 298 to Rs 349 as per the request of the complainant. No one appeared on behalf of Guru Nanak Radios.The forum, after hearing all the sides, observed that “the Airtel and Guru Nanak Radios had failed to produce on record any data of such call having been made by the complainant to them for the change of plan. Except for mere saying, no documentary record placed on the file.”The complainant in his evidence produced on record conversation between him and employees of the Airtel DTH services on October 5, 2017.The forum stated that “the complainant questioned the switching over/hike of the plan on his request and on this the employee had told that it was done by outsourced persons who were employed by them. No such record was produced that there was any such request. The plan has been changed by the Airtel for their own personal gain without any request to that effect from the complainant which amounts to unfair trade practice.”They were then directed to pay Rs 5,000 to the complainant as compensation for unfair trade practice and Rs 3,000 as compensation for mental agony and harassment caused to him.

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