Hyderabad: Revolt Motors fined Rs 15K for failing to deliver two-wheeler on time, delaying refund for 15 months

Hyderabad: Ranga Reddy District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has asked Revolt Motors to pay Rs 15000 to a customer for failing to deliver two-wheeler on time, and delaying the refund.

The Commission ruled that failure to deliver a booked vehicle and delaying the refund of the booking amount for 15 months constitutes an unfair trade practice, and ordered the manufacturer to pay compensation to the consumer.

Booking amount paid, vehicle not delivered

The complainant, R. Vineeth Kumar, a resident of Suryanagar Colony in Medchal district, stated that he booked an RB400 Rebel electric two-wheeler from Revolt Motors on June 16, 2022, paying an advance of Rs 9,999.

The company assured delivery of the vehicle within three months. However, the two-wheeler was not delivered even by September 2022, despite repeated follow-ups by the complainant.

Refund promised, then delayed

After the prolonged delay in delivery, the complainant sought a refund. When there was no response, he formally cancelled the booking on October 10, 2022. The company assured that the booking amount would be refunded within 45 days.

Despite the assurance, the refund was not processed for nearly 15 months, causing financial hardship and mental agony to the consumer.

Consumer approaches commission

Aggrieved by the delay, the complainant approached the Consumer Commission on January 20, seeking Rs 5 lakh as compensation for the inconvenience and loss suffered due to the company’s conduct.

In its defence, the company argued that the cancellation was a personal decision of the consumer and informed the Commission that the refund was processed on January 24, seeking dismissal of the complaint.

Commission rejects company’s defence

The complainant countered that the refund was issued only after the complaint was filed and sought compensation for the prolonged and unjustified delay.

After examining the pleadings, evidence, and arguments from both sides, the Ranga Reddy District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission observed that the company had failed in its obligation to deliver the vehicle as promised and had also delayed the refund without a valid justification.

Compensation ordered

Terming the company’s actions unacceptable, the Commission directed the manufacturer to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation to the complainant for mental agony and Rs 5,000 towards litigation costs, reinforcing that consumers cannot be made to suffer due to delays and non-compliance by service providers.