Charging Rs 50 more than MRPcosts liquor shop Rs10,000

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 26

For charging Rs 50 more than the MRP of the Royal Challenge whiskey, a Sector 10-based liquor shop will now have to shell out Rs 10,050 following an order of the district consumer forum.

Amarjit Giri, in his complaint to the forum, averred that he purchased the Royal Challenge and Teacher’s whiskey from 21st Century Advisors Pvt Ltd, a liquor shop, for Rs 350 and Rs 1,200, respectively, in July last year.

The complainant noticed that against an MRP of Rs 300, the shop had charged him Rs 350 for the Royal Challenge whiskey. The next day, he brought the issue of overcharging to the notice of the liquor shop. However, the opposite party did not pay heed following which he served a legal notice on it. When this did not help, Giri filed a plaint with the forum.

A notice on the plaint was sent to the liquor shop seeking its version in the case. However, nobody appeared on behalf of the party. “The MRP of the product is inclusive of all taxes and the profit margin of wholesalers and retailers. No wholesale dealer or retailer can alter it. To charge excess amount from a customer, to our mind, is deficiency in service and indulgence in unfair trade practice,” stated the court order.

“The harassment faced by the complainant on account of having been overcharged and in constantly following up the matter with the party is writ large,” said the order issued by forum president Manjit Singh and members Surjeet Kaur and Suresh Kumar Sardana.

The court ordered to refund the excess amount of Rs 50, pay Rs 5,000 to the complainant towards compensation for harassment and mental agony, besides Rs 5,000 as the ligation expenses.