HYDERABAD: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-III, Hyderabad, has ordered Samsung India to pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 along with refunding the complete amount of Rs 66,000 on a 12% interest rate for delivering a technically defective product.
The complainant, S Shashanka Reddy, said the telly she bought in April 2020 abruptly stopped functioning after four months – within the warranty period – after which she immediately lodged a complaint with the customer care service.
Reddy was informed by the Samsung authorities that the printed circuit board (PCB) was non-functional and would be resolved in the following few days. However, in her complaint, she alleged that there was no response from Samsung.
In its defense, the South Korean company further insisted the complainant take a refund coupon, which she denied due to its limited validity and stood by her demand to replace the defective television set with a new one.
Observing that Samsung’s claim of replacing the TV within a short span amounts to deficiency of service as well as unfair trade practices, the Commission ordered it to refund the cost of the TV with a compensation within 45 days from May 7.
Additionally, it ordered the payment of punitive damages of Rs 5,000 in the consumer legal aid account.