Ludhiana resident Jagvir Singh Kang had gone for dinner with his wife and family friends in June last year to a restaurant — Brooklyn Central — in Chandigarh. After his friends had cleared the bill, Jagvir and his wife were to leave the restaurant, but before that they purchased two sealed water bottles from the counter. Surprisingly, he was handed over a bill of Rs 312 for the bottles.

Jagvir had already travelled 70 kilometres and it was close to midnight. With no other options available, he was compelled to buy the water bottles paying Rs 312, the maximum retail price of each bottle being Rs 60, which was sold by the restaurant for Rs 156. He confronted them, but he was informed that the bill included Rs 16.50 as VAT, Rs 12 as service charge and Rs 7.39 as service tax.

He later filed a case in the consumer court and after almost a year, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has asked the restaurant to pay a compensation of Rs 12,000, including Rs 5,000 as the cost of litigation to Jagvir on account of deficiency in services. The forum has further asked the restaurant owners to deposit Rs 15,000 in consumer legal aid account, as reported by The Indian Express.

The restaurant replied that the water bottles were consumed within the restaurant premises and that’s why the taxes were levied on the complainant. However, according to the forum, the restaurant has failed to provide any evidence, even CCTV footage was not able to prove that the water was consumed within the restaurant.

The forum has charged the restaurant for their ‘high-handedness’ of which the complainant became a victim. The restaurant will have to deposit Rs 15,000 in the Consumer Legal Aid Account No.32892854721, maintained with the State Bank of India, Sector 7-C, Madhya Marg, Chandigarh, in the name of Secretary, Hon’ble State Commission, UT Chandigarh.

The Logical Indian welcomes this decision by the forum to pay the compensation. And also, would like to request our community members to never pay more than the actual price.