’Wasn’t even paid for pants’

Bike owner gets no help for faulty engine from company or court

'Wasn't even paid for pants'

Bike owner gets no help for faulty engine from company or court

A man whose pants were burntu00a0 when he rode on his new bike lost the case at the National Consumer Commission last week.

Hot engine

Narendra Reddy, an entrepreneur had bought a bike on June 12, 2006. He had paid Rs 86,725 for it. After a few days, he noticed that the engine was getting heated up to a very high temperature; there was a lot of vibration and an unusual sound in the engine. Even after Reddy's repeated visits to a service station, the defect was not rectified.

"The abnormal vibrations and high temperature of the engine caused severe pain in my arms and neck.
Moreover, my pants were burnt, and the skin on my legs was also burnt," Reddy told MiD DAY. He had also sent an e-mail to the manufacturer. The company responded that it would get back within a month.u00a0

At another service point, he was told that the problem was in the crankshaft. "They just dismantled the engine without any technical experts there." He said since they didn't even adhere to the basic norms, he didn't accept the bike. Instead, he sent another e-mail to the manufacturer asking them for a new engine assembled at the factory or a new bike. "The bike is still in the garage and I have not taken it till now," he said.

Court says

Since the company did not replace the bike, Reddy filed a complaint in the district consumer forum. His complaint was dismissed. He then approached the State Consumer Commission. The Commission ordered the company to either replace the bike or pay the cost of Rs 86,725 with 12 per cent interest per annum.

The case was then taken to the national consumer commission. The commission ruled in favour of the company and asked Reddy to take his vehicle back.

"I have lost my trust in the judiciary. The vehicle has been in the service station and unused for over two years now. It is not in a condition to be used. Though I bought it for Rs 86,000, now if I sell it I won't get even Rs 30,000. I have not even got the compensation for the pants which were burnt."

He said since he filed the complaint, the manufacturer has rectified the problem in its newer bikes. "But I have lost out in the bargain," he said.