Tata Motors has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 2.97 lakh to a customer for selling him a car having manufacturing defects.
The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum ordered the company to refund to the customer 50 per cent of the cost of the Indigo Marina car bought by him in 2007 for Rs 5,95,146 saying replacement of the vehicle after over five years was "not possible".
"We have considered the evidence and reply of opposite party (Tata Motors). Keeping in view the nature of defects which persisted till now, there is no escape from conclusion that opposite party sold car with manufacturing defects...
"Having regard to the facts of case and the fact that car has been in use for the last five years and old, we direct that return of 50 per cent of the cost of car paid in 2007 would meet the ends of consumer justice as replacement at this stage is not possible," a bench presided by C K Chaturvedi said.
The forum directed Tata Motors to pay Delhi resident Sanjeev Singhal, a doctor in a government hospital here, 50 per cent of the total amount of the car.
Singhal had alleged that the Indigo Marina he had bought started giving trouble within three days of its purchase.
He said, that in the first three years of its purchase, the car not only broke down several times but also had to be taken to the repair shop more than 30 times over various issues like oil leakage, smoke, engine noise, overheating.
Tata Motors in its reply had contended that each time the car was attended to by their workshop, it was returned with its status as 'ok'.
The forum, however, rejected the contention saying "how despite 'ok' status every time, the vehicle again came for repairs" and added that the company "has tried to avoid the specific problems".
