Hyderabad: A recent ruling by the Kakinada Consumer Commission has resulted in Apple facing a total fine of Rs 1,29,900 due to a complaint regarding the non-delivery of promised AirPods with an iPhone purchase.
The complainant, Chandalada Padma Raju, ordered an Apple iPhone on October 13, 2021, from Apple Distribution International in Ireland.
The purchase was made under a promotional offer that included free AirPods with a charging case valued at Rs 14,900. However, upon receiving the iPhone, Padma Raju found that the AirPods were not included.
Despite multiple attempts to resolve the issue through Apple’s customer service, she received no assistance.
Frustrated by the lack of response, Padma Raju filed a complaint with the Kakinada Consumer Commission on February 15, 2024.
Rs 10000 fine for mental agony
After examining the case, the Commission ruled in favour of Padma Raju and directed Apple to take several actions. Apple was ordered to either deliver the AirPods with a charging case worth Rs 14,900 or pay Rs 14,900 directly to the complainant.
Additionally, the Commission mandated an extra payment of Rs 10,000 for mental agony and physical strain caused to the complainant by Apple’s failure to deliver the promised product.
A fine of Rs 5,000 was also imposed to cover the costs incurred by Padma Raju in pursuing her complaint.
Rs 1L fine for misleading advertisement
Expressing concern over misleading advertising practices among corporations, the Commission levied a punitive fine of Rs 1 lakh to be paid to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Relief Fund.
This measure aims to deter similar misconduct by companies in the future.
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