Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) trashed a complaint alleging an alcohol addict was humiliated and tortured in a de-addiction centre. The bench comprising president K Jayabalan and member T Kalaiyarasi dismissed a petition filed by P. Bhaskaran of Chitalapakkam, who alleged that his 17-year-old son was abused and harassed in Stepping Stone Foundation, De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre, Villivakkam 3 years ago.
In the petition, Bhaskaran submitted that his son David Raja was studying in a Government school in Chitalapakam. With the influence of his friends, he became an alcohol addict. He also neglected his studi-es. Despite repeated advice, he did not change the habit.
Bhaskaran came to know about Dr. Richard Daniel, who was running the Stepping Stone Foundation, De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre, Villivakkam.
He admitted his son there on September 30, 2013 hoping to solve the problem.
Bhaskaran visited him every month and he found that his health condition became more critical, even though he had no chance of consuming alcohol. Bhaskaran found wounds on David Raja's legs and hands.
"My son was humiliated and starved. He was also physically tortured.
Hence he wanted to leave the centre and to return home", Bhaskaran said.
David Raja was discharged from the centre, in October 2014. Later, he had admitted his son at VHS Hospital, Kasturi Bai Nagar, Madhya Kailash, in the ICU ward. He spent Rs.2.65 lakh for de-addiction training, treatment and medicine. Baskaran alleged that the centre committed deficiency in service and caused him mental agony. He sought direction to the centre to pay him Rs 2.65 lakh and compensation for causing mental agony.
In its reply, Dr Richard Daniel submitted that David Raja, was admitted for de-addiction from alcohol, smoking and ganja. The centre gave medicine, medication and counselling to him on the basis of the admission condition. David Raja recovered and he was not humiliated, starved and physically tortured in the centre. He tried to escape from the centre on several occasions as a result, the centre discharged him and handed him over to his parents.
Dismissing the petition, the bench said no discharge summary issued by the VHS Hospital has been filed to show that what kind of treatment David Raja had undergone. The complainant had not proved that his son was humiliated and physically tortured. Therefore, we hold that the complainant has not proved that the centre committed deficiency in service, the bench said.
