Bihar eatery did not provide sambhar with dosa to customer. It proved costly

A restaurant in Bihar's Buxar has been fined ₹3,500 by the District Consumer Commission for not providing sambhar with a masala dosa.

A district consumer panel in Bihar has imposed a ₹3,500 fine on a restaurant in Buxar for not ‘responding appropriately’ on being questioned for not providing sambhar with packed dosa. The customer lodged a complaint and accused the restaurant of causing mental, physical and economic suffering.

District Consumer Commission in Bihar's Buxar has levied a fine of ₹3,500 for denying sambhar to a customer. (Shutterstock)

What is the case about?

The incident is from August 15 last year, when Manish Gupta, a lawyer, decided to buy a masala dosa on his birthday. He went to Namak restaurant in Buxar and ordered to pack the masala dosa, reported India Today.

When he reached home, he found that there was no sambhar in the meal. Annoyed by this, Gupta approached the restaurant but did not get a satisfactory reply. The outlet owner, rather than responding appropriately, said, "Do you want to buy the whole restaurant for ₹140?".

Exercising his legal rights, Gupta served a notice to the restaurant. But when there was no response from the owner, he filed a complaint with the District Consumer Commission.

Judgment after 11 months of proceedings

After 11 months of legal proceedings, a division bench of Consumer Commission chairman Ved Prakash Singh and member Varun Kumar delivered the judgment in which it found the restaurant guilty and imposed a fine of ₹3,500.

The fine was imposed in two parts- ₹1,500 as litigation cost, and ₹2,000 as basic fine.

The court has given 45 days to the restaurant owner to pay the fine, failing to do so an 8 per cent interest will be charged on the amount.