A local consumer court in Haryana has penalised a hospitality resort ₹10,000 after it was found guilty of overcharging a customer Rs 15 for a bottle of soft drink. The Jhajjar District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled that the resort's actions constituted a severe deficiency in service and ordered immediate restitution alongside substantial compensation for mental harassment.

The dispute traces back to 14 September 2025, when the complainant, accompanied by friends, visited the Lali Resort in Jhajjar for a social get-together. During the gathering, the group ordered five 500ml bottles of a popular soft drink. Although each bottle carried a clearly printed Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of ₹35, the resort billed them at ₹50 per bottle—exacting an unlawful premium of ₹15 on each.

Upon reviewing the final bill, which totalled ₹1,290, the complainant noticed the discrepancy and requested clarification from the resort's staff regarding the inflated prices. Rather than offering an explanation or rectifying the billing error, the resort employees reportedly refused to discuss the matter. The situation deteriorated rapidly as staff members allegedly became hostile, subjecting the customer and his guests to verbal abuse.

Distressed by the hostile confrontation, the consumer served a formal legal notice to the resort management on 19 September 2025, demanding a refund of the overcharged amount and a formal apology. The resort, however, chose to ignore the communication entirely, prompting the complainant to seek judicial recourse.

In December 2025, the complainant officially approached the Jhajjar District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The petition sought the full refund of the ₹1,290 bill, ₹20,000 in damages for mental agony and harassment, and an additional ₹21,000 to cover legal expenses incurred during the process.

The bench, presided over by Dr Shahabuddin alongside members Mr Srinivas Khundia and Ms Veena Rani, noted that despite receiving official summons from the Commission, the resort management failed to appear or present a defence. Consequently, the court proceeded to hear the matter ex parte (one-sided).

After examining the official invoices provided by the complainant, the Commission verified that the resort had indeed illicitly charged ₹50 for an item explicitly marked with an MRP of ₹35. The bench deemed this a flagrant violation of consumer rights and a stark manifestation of service negligence.

Delivering the verdict, the Commission ordered Lali Resort to refund the overcharged sum of ₹75 with a 9 per cent annual interest rate calculated from the date the case was filed until the realisation of the payment. Furthermore, the resort was directed to pay ₹10,000 as composite compensation for mental harassment and litigation costs.

The tribunal issued a stern warning to the resort management, granting them a strict 40-day window to comply with the order. Failure to clear the dues within this stipulated period will attract an escalated, punitive interest rate of 12 per cent per annum on the entire layout until full settlement is reached.