Asia Bizz: Indian auto giant Tata Motors has been recently directed by the apex consumer forum to pay Rs. 2.25 lakhs as compensation to a customer. The company was asked to pay compensation as it took almost 2 years to repair and return a faulty truck sold to the customer.

The order was given by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) on a plea against Tata Motors; who challenged the verdict of Himachal Pradesh State Consumer Commission and found that the truck was defective and had asked it to refund the cost of the vehicle or replace it. The NCDRC bench presided by RC Jain said that since the customer has not paid the repair charges of the vehicle but was deprived of its use from October 2005 to August 2007, they considered it appropriate to award a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh as a compensation paid by the petitioner.

The petitioners in this case are Tata Motors and its dealer jointly. The NCDRC on the other hand set aside the order of the state consumer commission that there was actually a manufacturing defect in the vehicle saying that the state commission did not take an expert opinion.