RAIPUR, Chhattisgarh – A significant ruling by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Raipur has found Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) liable for an exorbitant mobile bill, ordering the state-owned telecom operator to revise the bill and pay a total of ₹30,000 in compensation and litigation costs to a customer.
The case centered on a BSNL subscriber who received a bill for ₹89,991, which included a staggering ₹65,108 in international roaming data charges. According to BSNL's records, this data usage allegedly occurred at 4:35 AM IST on May 13, 2017.
Customer Challenges Roaming Charges
The complainant, however, presented compelling evidence that he was on a flight from Bangkok to Kolkata during the exact time the data usage was recorded. He argued that it was impossible to use mobile data while airborne. Despite his attempts to resolve the issue with BSNL, the telecom company allegedly disconnected his service instead of addressing the dispute.
Consumer Commission's Findings
A bench comprising President Dakeshwar Prasad Sharma and members Nirupma Pradhan and Anil Kumar Agnihotri meticulously reviewed the customer's flight tickets and travel documents. Their investigation conclusively determined that the disputed data charges could not have been incurred as claimed by BSNL. The commission stated, "It is therefore evident that during this entire period, the complainant was on board the aircraft and could not have used mobile data or his mobile phone."
Consequently, the commission deemed the ₹65,108 data charge to be incorrect and unjustified.
BSNL's Defense Rejected
BSNL's defense contended that the complaint was not maintainable under the Consumer Protection Act, suggesting disputes of this nature should fall under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885. The operator also argued that the customer had used international roaming services in Thailand and that the bill was generated according to applicable tariffs, claiming approximately 72,941 KB of data usage resulted in the charges. BSNL maintained the usage occurred before the flight departed.
However, the consumer commission rejected BSNL's arguments, finding their billing records inconsistent with the irrefutable travel documents provided by the complainant.
Relief Awarded to Customer
The commission issued clear directives to BSNL:
- To revise the disputed mobile bill.
- To adjust the subscriber's security deposit.
- To pay ₹25,000 as compensation for mental agony and deficiency in service.
- To pay ₹5,000 towards litigation expenses.
The total relief awarded to the aggrieved customer amounted to ₹30,000, marking a victory for consumer rights against erroneous telecom billing practices.