Kapurthala district consumer redressal forum has directed a local school to refund to its former student ₹40,000 charged on the pretext of visa process for a trip to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) in the USA.
Cambridge International School of Kapurthala has been ordered to refund the amount along with 12% interest besides ₹22,000 as harassment and litigation expenses within one month.
As per the complaint filed by Balwinder Kumar Sharma, father of student Anmol Sharma, on April 4, 2019, he was told by the school administration about a trip to Nasa, cost of which was ₹2.35 lakh. The school had asked the interested students to deposit a consent form along with a copy of passport and first instalment of ₹40,000, he said.
The complainant deposited the first instalment along with required documents of his son. He alleged that neither did the school administration arranged for his son’s visa, nor did it refund the money despite repeated requests. He claimed that the school administration started harassing his son which left him with no option but to shift his son to another school.
The forum observed that the school did not have any affirmed stand. “As the school stated that it had hired a travel agency, Edvour, and paid ₹40,000 to the said agency for visa process, but it took another plea that an amount of ₹28,000 was charged by the agency as entire visa process of the students, we find that school is not clear whether they have paid total sum of ₹40,000 or ₹28,000 for all students,” the forum said.
{{/usCountry}}The forum observed that the school did not have any affirmed stand. “As the school stated that it had hired a travel agency, Edvour, and paid ₹40,000 to the said agency for visa process, but it took another plea that an amount of ₹28,000 was charged by the agency as entire visa process of the students, we find that school is not clear whether they have paid total sum of ₹40,000 or ₹28,000 for all students,” the forum said.
{{/usCountry}}“They (opposite parties) must bring the file receipt issued by the immigration office of the USA situated at Delhi, but no such receipt has been placed on file issued by the immigration office which shows that no amount qua the ward of the complainant was deposited by the school. If so, then they are liable to return the entire amount to the complainant,” the forum said in its order.