E-Paper
Chandigarh: Consumer panel directs firm to refund money for faulty laptop
The consumer panel directed the opposition parties to refund the price of the laptop, which is ₹90,746, to the complainant, along with interest @ 9% p.a. from the date of filing its purchase till its actual realisation
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed a laptop company to refund over ₹90,000 to a city resident whose laptop turned out to be faulty soon after purchase.
Sanjeev Kumar of Manimajra filed a case against Lenovo India Private Limited, Bengaluru, and Reliance Retailer Limited, Chandigarh. Kumar alleged that he bought a Lenovo laptop from Reliance Retailer Limited, Chandigarh, in October 2020 for ₹90,746. But soon after, it started lagging, heating up and the keyboard stopped working.
When he approached the opposition parties, they did not make any efforts to rectify the issues. He further alleged that despite making several efforts for the removal of the defects, the laptop was still not functioning properly.
At last, he moved the commission with the complaint.
Before this commission, a representative of Reliance Retailer Limited, Chandigarh, admitted that the complainant bought the laptop. It stated that it has a limited role in selling the product and is not at all responsible for fulfilling the warranty obligations, given by the manufacturer of the product (opposition party 1).
Stating that they have no role to play in the replacement or rectification of the defects in the laptop, the retailer prayed for the dismissal of the complaint.
However, no one appeared on behalf of Lenovo India Private Limited, Bengaluru, and as a result, it was ordered to be proceeded against ex parte.
The commission observed: “We are of the view that the opposition parties have failed to rectify the actual defect in the laptop and that is why it is not functioning properly despite its repairs. Moreover, the complainant has lost faith in the product and thus, it will be in the interest of justice and equity to direct the opposition parties to refund its price to the complainant instead of its repairs.”
Hence, the commission directed the opposition parties to refund the laptop’s price to the complainant, along with interest at 9% per annum from the date of filing its purchase till actual realisation. “The complainant shall return the laptop in question, along with its accessories, to the opposition parties on receipt of the awarded amount,” it added.
