In Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, a smart bazaar faced repercussions for charging 3 rupees more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on a 1-kilogram packet of tea leaves. Following a complaint, the District Consumer Commission heard the case. The commission has ordered the smart bazaar to pay the customer 3,000 rupees for overcharging by three rupees. The order mandates the bazaar to return the 3 rupees overcharged, along with 2,000 rupees for mental anguish, and 1,000 rupees for litigation costs, all within 45 days.
The incident involved 21-year-old Zayra Amina, a resident of Sarkanda, who purchased a 1 kg packet of Tata Agni Leaf Tea from Reliance Smart Bazaar on Cipat Road on April 15, 2025. The store charged 238 rupees, which was 3 rupees more than the MRP of 235 rupees printed on the packet. When the customer complained initially, no action was taken.
Subsequently, the aggrieved customer filed a complaint with the consumer forum. After hearing the case, the forum determined that the customer had been wronged. The forum then ordered the company to return the 3 rupees collected from the customer within 45 days. Additionally, the company was directed to pay a total compensation of 3,000 rupees, which included the 3 rupees overcharged plus compensation for mental distress and legal expenses.
The decision was delivered by a bench of the Consumer Commission comprising Chairman Anand Kumar Singhal, member Purnima Singh, and Alok Pandey. The District Consumer Commission stated that charging more than the MRP was not only unfair but also constituted a deficiency in service.