Haryana boy wins Rs 18,000 from mobile phone manufacturer over ‘defective handset’

A 13-year-old boy from Haryana has successfully sued a mobile phone manufacturer for Rs 18,000 after the handset remained defective despite multiple visits to an authorized service center during its warranty period. The Rohtak District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled in favor of the young consumer, ordering the company to refund Rs 8,000 after deducting 20% for depreciation and usage, plus compensation and costs totaling Rs 10,000.

Initially, the boy purchased the Rs 10,000 handset in November 2019, promising the retailer it would be replaced or refunded if it developed issues within the warranty period. He reported slow charging, microphone problems, and motherboard defects to the shop, which directed him to an authorized service center. The boy visited the service center on multiple occasions between July and October 2020, but the issues persisted.

The company denied the complaints, claiming no manufacturing defects and stating the issues were due to improper usage. However, the court found that the handset had functional problems that were not satisfactorily rectified by the service center, ruling in favor of the consumer.