A local consumer forum in Chhattisgarh has ordered a dry-cleaning establishment to pay Rs 14,000 to a customer whose wedding sherwani was scorched during ironing, ruling that the business was guilty of service deficiency and unfair trade practices.
The Raipur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, consisting of President Dakeshwar Prasad Sharma along with panel members Nirupma Pradhan and Anil Kumar Agnihotri, issued the ruling on July 1. The tribunal awarded the complainant Rs 6,000 toward the cost of the damaged garment, Rs 3,000 in compensation, and Rs 5,000 to cover litigation expenses.
Details Of The Incident
The dispute originated on September 8, 2019, when the customer entrusted four sets of wedding attire to a dry-cleaning shop operated by Ashok Nirmalker. The items handed over for dry cleaning and pressing included a groom’s wedding outfit, a coat-suit, a ghagra, a laacha, and a sherwani valued at approximately Rs 12,000.
While ironing the garments, shop staff used a coal iron and burnt the upper section of the sherwani above its second button. When the customer repeatedly requested oral compensation for the ruined attire, the shop management declined to pay.
The customer lodged a written complaint at a local police station on the day of the incident. However, law enforcement classified the matter as a non-cognisable offense and advised the complainant to seek remedies through an appropriate judicial forum.
Ex-Parte Proceedings And Evidence
Despite receiving official notices from the consumer tribunal, no representative from the dry-cleaning shop appeared for hearings. The establishment also failed to submit any written response, affidavit, or documentary evidence to challenge the claims, leading the commission to proceed with the matter ex parte.
In its decision, the panel observed that the customer provided reliable documentary proof, including the original purchase bill, legal notice, police complaint copy, and photographs of the damaged attire. The photo evidence distinctly displayed burn marks near the buttons of the sherwani.
The commission concluded that the shop staff acted negligently while ironing the garment with a coal iron, thereby failing to exercise due care with customer property and establishing clear liability under consumer protection laws.
