Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Tiruvallur, directed an American based multinational courier firm to pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 to a person for failure to deliver a package to his son in the US three years ago. He had planned to send an Apple mobile phone in a parcel.
In the petition, Z.Ashok Zachariah of Korattur submitted that he planned to send an Apple mobile phone in a parcel to his son residing in the United States of America. When he contacted customer care staff of M/s.FedEx Express, they informed him that the parcel would be delivered in three days. On April 20, 2015, the pickup man from FedEx Express, Padi came to his residence and collected the parcel. He paid freight charges of Rs 3,693. He also submitted a copy of the mobile bill, ID proof and a letter declaring the contents of the parcel and its value.
On April 22, when he tracked the movement of the parcel on the internet he found that the parcel was in Bengaluru, and on April 25 it returned to Chennai. Later, a staffer informed him that the parcel could not be sent to the US. It was returned to him five days after he booked it.
Tendering an apology, a customer relation representative stated that the consignment was not sent as a result of an operational error. However, the firm did not refund the freight charges. He said that act of the firm caused him mental agony and hardship and sought a compensation of Rs 1 lakh along with refund.
In its reply M/s.FedEx represented by its manager, Andheri East, Mumba, submitted that the complaint was false. The consignment could not be delivered due to customs and regulatory related clearances. Consequently the
consignment had to be returned to the sender. The firm had not committed any deficiency in service and FedEx was not liable for damages.
The bench comprising president S.Pandian and member R. Baskarkumaravel said that it was crystal clear that FedEx had committed deficiency in service. The bench directed FedEx to refund Rs 3,693 along with 9 per cent interest per annum and also pay him Rs 5,000 for causing mental agony and hardships and a cost of '2,000.
