Mobile phone-maker asked to cough up thrice the amount of handset

For failing to repair phone or replace it with a new one

A consumer forum directed mobile phone-maker, Celkon Smart Phone, and its dealer to compensate a consumer an amount thrice that of the handset.

The Ranga Reddy District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum was dealing with a complaint filed by J. Ramesh (33), a businessman and resident of Nagarkurnool.

In his complaint, Mr. Ramesh said he bought a Celkon Q 54 smart phone from the dealer on April 11, 2016. The warranty was valid for a year. He claimed that it was within four months that the smart phone started to malfunction. Mr. Ramesh then approached the dealer and handed over the phone for repairs. He further claimed neither did the dealer repair it, nor did his query calls were answered.

In the judgement, the forum noted that despite serving a notice, both the company and the dealer ignored them. It also said it went through the documents which the complainant had provided and was satisfied with the fact that the smart phone was under warranty.

“The opposite parties ought to have attended to the problem, rectified the defects, or otherwise they should have replaced the old phone with a new one. They utterly failed in both the aspects and in such circumstances, the customer care offered by these opposite parties is nothing but zero/nil,” the judgement reads. It pointed out that both the company and the dealer have been negligent, deficient in service and have displayed unfair trade practices.

The forum then directed the Celkon Smart Phone and the dealer to refund an amount of ₹4,500 and pay costs of ₹5,000 and a compensation of ₹15,000 for mental agony.