Travel agent ordered to pay Rs 10 lakh

The district consumer disputes redressal forum has directed a local travel agent to pay back Rs 10 lakh to a complainant after failing to send his son to Canada. In the complaint, Bhupinder Singh of Gurjepal Nagar, Jalandhar, had said that travel agent Chetan Chopra of Bikrampura had made a deal with him for Rs 13 lakh for sending his son, Parminder Singh, abroad.

The district consumer disputes redressal forum has directed a local travel agent to pay back Rs 10 lakh to a complainant after failing to send his son to Canada.

HT Image

In the complaint, Bhupinder Singh of Gurjepal Nagar, Jalandhar, had said that travel agent Chetan Chopra of Bikrampura had made a deal with him for Rs 13 lakh for sending his son, Parminder Singh, abroad.

Bhupinder Singh paid him the entire amount in cheques, and the agent promised to take Parminder to Canada via Georgia on business visa within two-three months.

The agrent also had agreed to return the money in the event of failing to settle the youth in Canada. Police had brokered a compromise reached between both parties but, violating that deal, the agent returned only Rs 3 lakh, as the remaining two cheques were dishonored.

The forum observed that since the agent had received Rs 13 lakh from the complainant but failed to keep his promise, he should pay back the aggrieved party Rs 10 lakh with 9% annual interest from the date of repudiation of the claim till payment.

The complainant will also get Rs 50, 000 on account of litigation expenses.