Ola Ordered to Pay Rs 1 Lakh to Hyderabad Customer After Cab Driver Abruptly Ends Trip
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-III, Hyderabad, has directed Ola, the cab aggregator. To compensate a customer with Rs 1 lakh after an incident where the cab driver abruptly ended the trip. The commission also ordered Ola to cover the customer’s legal costs, totaling Rs 5,000.
The case arose from a complaint filed by Jabez Samuel, a resident of Abids, Hyderabad. Who detailed that he booked a cab for a four-hour trip on October 19, 2021. He, his spouse, and another person boarded the cab at 10 am, but the journey did not go as planned.
Samuel reported that the cab was dirty and smelled bad. Additionally, the driver refused to turn on the air conditioner. The worst part came when the driver abruptly stopped the ride after only 5 km and asked them to exit the cab.
Ola Ordered to Pay Rs 1 Lakh to Hyderabad Customer After Cab Driver Abruptly Ends Trip
Despite the short distance, Samuel was charged Rs 861. Furthermore, the premature termination of the ride required alternative arrangements, which cost both time and additional money.
Ola Cabs, named as the opposite party in the case, denied all allegations, stating that the complainant had accepted the company’s terms and conditions by using the service. Ola also mentioned that the complainant failed to provide evidence of the driver’s alleged misconduct or rude behavior.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the Consumer Commission ruled in favor of the complainant. Ola was ordered to compensate the customer with Rs 1 lakh for the inconvenience and pay Rs 5,000 to cover legal costs.
