Holding the Amazon Development Centre India “negligent in providing service and being involved in unfair trade practice,” the Odisha State Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the global online retailer to pay Rs 45,000 to a Ganjam-based law student as compensation as well as punitive damage and for the cost of litigation.
Forum President Justice Dr DP Choudhury has directed the Amazon to pay Rs 30,000 towards compensation, Rs 10,000 towards punitive damage and Rs 5,000 towards the cost of litigation within 30 days to Supriyo Ranjan Mahapatra for giving him mental agony. “Failing which, all the payments will carry interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum,” the order of the commission said. The case inter alia dates back to 2014 when Supriyo as a law student of the Tamil Nadu National School had stumbled upon an advertisement floated by the Amazon offering a laptop for Rs 190 only. But hours after confirmation of the order placed by Supriyo, he received a phone call from the Amazon’s customer care service department informing him that his order was cancelled due to some price recession issue.
Raising objection to this, Supriyo approached the Ganjam District Consumer Redressal Forum seeking compensation of Rs 50,000 for the mental torture he suffered. The district forum directed the Amazon to pay compensation of Rs 10,000 and Rs 2,000 towards cost of litigation.