Sagar Youth Fights Seven-Year Court Battle For Rs 1.5 Charged In Excess

Chakrash Jain was charged Rs 755 for a Rs-753.50 LPG cylinder by a gas agency in Bina which refused the change and laughed it away.

Sagar: A Sagar youth took a gas agency to the court for just Rs 1.5, charged as extra. The amount, won after the seven-year-long battle in the court, matters less to Chakrash Jain of Bina in Sagar who wants every consumer to be aware of their rights and not fall prey to the high-handedness of agencies.

The matter dates back to November 14, 2017, when Jain booked an LPG cylinder refill with Vijay Shri Gas Agency in Bina. The following day, the cylinder was delivered and the delivery person handed over an invoice worth Rs 753.50 to Jain. He paid Rs 755 and asked for the change. The delivery person said he didn't have the change and insisted that Jain speak to the agency over the matter. Vijay Hirkat, the agency owner, laughed Jain's request away. Finally, Jain had to sign the invoice of Rs 755.

A disappointed Jain complained to the National Consumer Commission which served a notice to the agency. However, the matter was not moving forward till 2019 when Jain took the matter up with the Sagar District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission.

The road was not smooth for Jain as in the seven years, people made fun of him and Hirkat tried every possible way to put pressure on him to take the case back. But nothing could stop an indefatigable Jain.

Finally, Rajesh Kumar Kostha, chairman of the consumer commission, and Anubha Verma, a member, passed an order in favour of Jain, considering the deficiency in service by the agency.

The Consumer Forum asked the gas agency to refund the amount, charged in excess, along with a six per cent annual interest to Jain within two months. Apart from this, considering the gas agency operator's deficiency in service, professional misconduct and causing mental and financial damage to the consumer, orders have been given to pay the consumer's money spent in the case and Rs 2,000 within two months. Lawyer Rajesh Singh fought the case on behalf of Jain.