Rourkela: In a strange incident in Odisha’s Sundargarh, a man received a traffic challan for riding a scooter without a helmet or licence, despite the vehicle being at a private company’s service centre for months.
The Sundargarh District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) ordered the firm to replace the scooter and pay Rs 2 lakh for service deficiency and mental distress.
Sampad Patel of Nadisuguda, who bought the scooter for Rs 1,39,999 in July 2023, sent it for repairs after an accident on July 10, 2024. Despite repeated follow-ups, the scooter remained unrepaired for over 50 days, leading Patel to approach the DCDRC. While the case was ongoing, he received a Rs 1,000 traffic fine on February 4 for an offence he couldn’t have committed, as the scooter was with the company since July 2024.
The DCDRC ruled that the service centre misused the vehicle without authorisation, ordering a replacement with the same specifications and warranty, plus Rs 2 lakh compensation with 9% annual interest if payment is delayed.
