Dell, computer seller told to pay over Rs 7 lakh to city school

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

The consumer forum has ordered Dell and a computer seller to pay over Rs 7 lakh to St Kabir School for selling faulty computers and not refunding the money. The school had bought 40 computers in 2013 for Rs.6.84 lakh for ‘enhancing education’. However, they started malfunctioning soon and could not even be repaired.

The case was filed against Beyond Computers, Sector 35, Dell India Private Limited, Karnataka, Ingram Micro India Limited, Chandigarh, and Ingram Micro India Limited, Mumbai. The school had bought 40 sets of WYSE thin client T50 computers on August 26, 2013. The problem was brought to the notice of the company after which their officials/engineers visited the school several times and committed to replace the same in an email in February, 2014 and also promised to supply the standby machines so that education of the students did not suffer but all their promises turned out to be false.

The school in May 2014 called upon the seller and the company to refund the amount and also served a legal notice but to no avail. The school thus approached the forum and field a case of deficiency in service and unfair trade practice.

The forum also told the respondents to pay Rs 40,000 as compensation for harassment caused to the complainant, along with Rs 10,000 as the cost of litigation.