New Delhi: The Chhapra District Consumer Commission penalised the railway authorities for causing harassment to a passenger while passing judgment in a nine-year-old case. Nine years ago, a passenger booked an AC first-class ticket but he was asked to travel in the second category. Annoyed by this, the passenger filed a case against the railway authorities in the District Consumer Commission.
Mankeshwar Prasad Singh, a resident of Salempur, filed a complaint with the Consumer Commission in 2014 against Madhav Bihari of the Nagar police station area of Chhapra. He said that on April 21, 2014, a ticket was purchased with Rs 2,967 for travelling on Garib Nawaz Express from Delhi Cantt. On the fixed date, AC's first-class compartment on the train was not available.
When he complained to the railway authorities, he was given a seat in the second class. Singh, a heart patient, had gone to AIIMS for a knee transplant. He had also filed a TDR on April 22, 2014, with the Railway Board but no hearing took place. Finally, he filed a complaint with the Consumer Commission. "On April 21, 2014, I booked an AC First Class ticket on Garib Nawaz Express to Chhapra from Delhi Cantt. I had paid Rs. 2967 for it," Mankeshwar Prasad Singh said.
On the complaint of Mankeshwar Prasad Singh, the bench of District Consumer Commission Chairman Virendra Pratap Singh and Member Manmohan Kumar fined ₹25,000 for causing physical and mental suffering to a passenger. The General Manager of Commerce, Delhi has ordered the payment. Also, ₹5000 will have to be paid separately as a litigation fee. In case of failure to pay the amount within two months, the applicant will have to pay at the rate of 9% interest rate.
