Sambalpur Consumer Court Fines Xerox Shop Owner ₹25,000 for Refusing to Return ₹3

Sambalpur: A consumer court in Sambalpur on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the proprietor of a Xerox shop for refusing to return Rs 3 to a customer and verbally abusing him.

The court also ordered the shop owner to refund the excess amount charged for photocopying and compensate the customer for the mental distress and harassment caused.

The incident occurred on April 28, 2023, when Prafulla Kurar Dash, a journalist from Sambalpur, visited the Xerox shop. Dash had given five rupees for a photocopy and requested a return of three rupees, as the standard photocopy rate was Rs 2 per copy. However, the shop owner not only refused to return the money but also verbally abused Dash.

Dash filed a complaint with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, which ruled in his favour. The court held that the shop owner’s failure to issue a receipt or bill and the excessive photocopy charges constituted exploitation of the consumer.