A consumer court has held a prominent camera manufacturer and an electronics retail chain guilty of deficiency in service and “unfair trade practice” while directing them to repair free of cost a defective camera sold to a customer and return it in a working condition. The court also awarded Rs. 5,000 as compensation to the customer.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum ordered Canon India Pvt Ltd and electronics retail chain Croma to jointly make necessary repairs and return the camera in working condition to complainant Tarun Kumar.

“Not removing the defect from the camera, rather putting up a demand of cost of repairs even though product was under warranty, amounts to not only deficiency of service but it is an unfair trade practice. Therefore, we are of the view that complainant is entitled for the relief claimed,” the forum said.

Kumar, a resident of Rohini in northwest Delhi, had bought a Canon camera from Croma and had deposited it to an authorised service centre when he spotted a defect.

Kumar alleged that they did not return the camera after repairs and were demanding a charge of R3,545, despite it being under warranty period.