Fine of Rs 25K levied on Airtel for threatening, mentally harassing consumer

The suburban Mumbai district's additional consumer dispute redressal forum recently penalised Airtel for threatening one of its consumers. The forum thus levied a fine of Rs 25,000 as a cost towards the mental harassment which the complainant and her family had to go through.

The case dates back to 2011, when Avantika Karkare, a resident of Pune had purchased a SIM card from the service provider. The said SIM card was inserted in the blackberry phone which the complainant was using. However in November 2011, she suddenly received a bill of Rs 8,654, which the company said that it was towards the internet usage which Karkare had utilised.

When Karkare sought for a detailed report about the internet usage, it was not provided by the firm, rather, as per the complainant, she was threatened by the firm. The entire family was threatened to such an extent that she had to approach the local police station in Pune and file a complaint against the firm. The forum after going through the complainant's say, asked the firm to file its reply.

The firm, in its reply claimed, that the outstanding amount of the consumer was Rs 16,778, however the firm had given her an offer of letting off 30% of the bill amount, but even the same was not paid.

The forum after going through the evidence condemned the behaviour of the mobile service provider, thus penalising the firm to pay charges for mental harassment. The forum also asked the firm to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 towards the consumer protection funds.