E-Paper
Ludhiana: Firm penalised for selling faulty dryer
The amount includes the purchase price of ₹18,000 along with ₹20,000 compensation for damages to clothes, litigation expenses and mental agony
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered IFB (Indian Fine Blanks) Industries Limited to compensate around ₹38,000 for selling a “faulty cloth dryer” to Sunita Sharma, a 56-year-old resident of Rishi Nagar. The amount includes the purchase price of ₹18,000 along with ₹20,000 compensation for damages to clothes, litigation expenses and mental agony.
According to the complainant, she purchased a dryer from the firm for ₹18,000 on December 26, 2019, trusting the seller’s assurance that it was ideal for winter and rainy seasons. The product was delivered through IFB Warehouse on January 1, 2020. She stated that upon using it on January 27, 2020, her clothes were burnt after which she reported the issue through numerous emails and WhatsApp to IFB’s representatives, even sending the photos of the damaged clothes.
Although IFB’s technicians acknowledged a manufacturing defect in the dryer and advised against using it, the company failed to replace the product or compensate for the losses despite assurance. Sharma approached the consumer commission on October 19, 2020.
Despite being notified, none of the IFB representatives appeared for the hearings after April 2024, leaving their case undefended. While some officials filed applications to be removed from the complaint, others offered generic excuses and failed to present any evidence to counter Sharma’s claims.
The commission observed that the firm’s inaction was deemed a clear violation of consumer rights under Section 2(47)(viii) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Therefore the commission concluded that Sharma must return the faulty dryer to IFB’s Ludhiana office within 15 days and IFB Industries, along with its local representatives, was ordered to jointly refund ₹18,000 to Sharma within 15 days of receiving the product.
Additionally, they were directed to pay ₹20,000 in compensation, which includes damages for the burnt clothes, legal expenses and mental harassment. According to the commission’s verdict, the firm’s failure to comply with the order will result in an 8% annual interest on the refund amount.
