IDEA Cellular Ltd asked to pay Rs 71 K for deficiency

Telecom firm IDEA Cellular Ltd has been fined Rs 71,000 by a consumer forum for not redressing a complaint of a woman against unwanted activation of a service on her mobile connection which voluntarily disconnected calls.

A bench of New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, presided by C K Chaturvedi, asked the telecom firm to pay the money to east Delhi resident Madhu Bahl whose request for cancelling the service was rejected by the firm.

"Activation of any system on mobile leads to provide services from which amount is charged for consideration. This is a same case applicable in this complaint which amounts company to be deficient," the forum said.

It directed IDEA Cellular to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation for harassment and Rs 21,000 as litigation charges.

Bahl had told the forum that she had taken the mobile connection from the firm and after sometime, she noticed that while receiving calls, there were some disturbances in the network.

On approaching the firm to rectify the error, she learnt that 'voluntary disconnection' service was activated on her number, she said.

She alleged that she filed a written request to remove the activation but the firm refused to accept her request and thereafter she filed the complaint with the forum.

The firm, however, contended before the forum that according to law, it was not providing any service to her.