Ola penalised for deducting cab cancellation charges

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 17

The district consumer disputes redressal forum has directed the Ola taxi service operator to refund Rs 50 that it deducted “illegally” from the Ola Money payment wallet of a local resident. The service provider has also been directed to pay a compensation to the tune of Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 as litigation expenses.

Parbodh Chander Bali, a local RTI activist, had filed a complaint against Ola, stating that he had booked a cab in Chandigarh for the railway station from where he had to board a train for Amritsar in 2016. Bali stated that as the taxi took more time than what appeared on the booking message, he called the driver to know the status.

The complainant stated that after sensing that the driver was not interested, he cancelled the earlier booking and made a fresh one. He said that at the time of payment, no message regarding booking cancellation charges were displayed.

The complainant stated that even two years after that incident, he continued using the OLA service and was never asked to pay the cancellation charges. In February 2018, when he made an advance deposit of Rs 250 into his Ola Money wallet, he was charged Rs 50 as booking cancellation charges on the subsequent booking.

The complainant sent an e-mail to the opposite party against the deduction of Rs 50 and asked for refund which was refused. As the opposite party did not opt to appear, the forum proceeded ex-parte. The forum stated that the evidence produced by the complainant went unrebutted on record. In this way, the opposite party has impliedly admitted to the complainant’s accusations, it stated.