The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum held that the diagnostic centre "indulged in unfair trade practice" by over-charging Delhi resident Iqbal Singh, a government servant and beneficiary of the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
"The facts on affidavit clearly show deficiency on the part of opposite party 1 (Dr Pathlabs) and opposite party 2 (a doctor employed with the lab) besides over-charging. We are clearly of the view that opposite party 1 has indulged in unfair trade practices by overcharging.
"We award a compensation of Rs 5,000 to the complainant (Singh). Opposite party 1 will pay this amount. We also award compensation of Rs 2,500 for non-cooperation and insensitivity shown by Dr A K Kapoor, opposite party 2, to a consumer in distress," the bench presided by C K Chaturvedi said.
The forum also directed the diagnostic lab to deduct Rs 2,500 from the salary of Dr Kapoor and deposit it with Delhi Consumer Welfare Fund, saying "such doctors and functions should be consumer-friendly in their attitude, behaviour and should bring comfort to consumers visiting them."
The forum's order came on Singh's complaint in which he had said that the diagnostic lab charged him Rs 1,663 as against Rs 700 prescribed for CGHS beneficiaries, which he was being a government servant.
He had alleged that Dr Kapoor had behaved rudely when he had gone to the diagnostic centre to get some prescribed pathological tests for his wife.
The lab and its doctor were proceeded against ex-parte as they had chosen not to appear before the forum despite summons issued to them.
