Chandigarh: Not refunding double payment costs telecom company dear

The telecom company said that the complainant, a Chandigarh resident, paid the amount, but it was not received by the company

The district consumer disputes redressal commission on Wednesday penalised Bharti Airtel Ltd for not refunding the double payment.

The complainant, Abhinav Kumar of Sarangpur, Chandigarh, in his complaint said that he had bought a new Airtel postpaid connection, which cost ₹2,500, on October 15, 2022. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The complainant, Abhinav Kumar of Sarangpur, Chandigarh, in his complaint said that he had bought a new Airtel postpaid connection, which cost ₹2,500, on October 15, 2022. He made the payment through UPI. While the payment was successful, an official of the company said that the transaction was declined by Airtel, and the amount so deducted will be refunded to the bank account within three days. Taking the official’s word, the complainant paid ₹2,500 again.

However, when he approached the company to lodge his complaint about non-refund of ₹2,500, the officials refused to help the complainant. At last, alleging that the act amounts to deficiency in service and unfair trade practice, he approached the commission.

The company said that the complainant paid the amount, but it was not received by the company. Denying all other allegations, it requested that the complaint be dismissed.

The commission observed: “From the perusal of the documents on record, it has been proved that the payment of ₹2,500 made by the complainant to the company through UPI had been deducted from his account being successful transaction and no reverse entry said transaction or amount has been made in his account.”

“The company is directed to refund an amount of ₹2500 to the complainant along with a lump sum compensation of ₹5,000 towards harassment and mental agony caused due to deficient act of the company, which also includes litigation costs,” the commission ordered.