Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has fined the managing director of Fortune Group of Estates and Services after he failed to fulfil a promise to arrange a tour to a customer as part of a gift voucher scheme.
The customer, Mr Y. Sreedhar of Andhra Pradesh, had paid about Rs 1.5 lakh to join the scheme. The forum directed the managing director to refund the money paid by Mr Sreedhar and additionally pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 15,000 in costs.
Mr Sreedhar petitioned the forum stating that he had taken membership in the scheme in May 2018, by paying Rs 1.48 lakh to availing its offer of service in affiliated clubs, hotels, resorts, marketing clubs and holiday membership.
The MD agreed to give a gift voucher of a seven-days holiday package in different places. The gift voucher was issued on May 14 last year.
On October 29, 2018, he opted for a trip to Kashmir and selected a hotel on January 10 this year. After booking flight tickets for the tour on February 2, he deposited Rs 9,000 towards annual maintenance charges (AMC) as per the instructions of the MD. Even after confirmation of the flight tickets and payment of the AMC, the MD did not confirm the hotel booking. Because of this, Mr Sreedhar told the forum, he had to cancel the flight tickets as the date of journey was nearing.
The forum opined that Fortune Group of Estates and Services had failed to provide services to the complainant as agreed to by the MD. The forum said the complainant was entitled for compensation in view of the pain and mental agony he underwent. To meet the ends of justice, the forum ordered the company to pay Mr Sreedhar Rs 1 lakh along with Rs 15,000 for costs.
