Mobile firm told to compensate Rs 10,000 to customer

An Indian mobile handset company has been ordered to pay a lawyer Rs 10,000 in compensation for not repairing his mobile despite the fact that it was under the warranty period. The Thane District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum passed the order directing the mobile firm to pay compensation to the lawyer and also repair his handset for free.

Advocate Prakash Salsingikar had bought Lava International Limited’s ‘Xolo A-700’ mobile phone from a local shop in Badlapur for Rs 9,950. The company had made various representations, covenants and promises, and given an assurance of a one-year warranty in their papers, after which the complainant decided to purchase the mobile phone.

However, a few months down the line, problems cropped up in the mobile’s speaker and he called the company’s customer care number.

They told him to submit his mobile phone to Mahavir Electronics, a collection centre for the company. Thereafter, however, neither Mahavir Electronics nor Lava’s customer care team got back to him with a satisfactory reply.

Frustrated, Mr Salsingikar was forced to file a complaint with the consumer dispute redressal forum, which ruled in his favour after Lava failed to respond to notices issued to it.

Mr Salsingikar said: “The company has paid me Rs 10,000 by cheque, but it has not returned my mobile phone yet.”