Bharti Infotel Ltd has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to a customer for making threatening calls to pay Internet billswhich were raised despite his request for disconnection of the service.

The South West District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum observed that the act of the telecom major amounted to not only deficiency in service but also unfair trade practice and for that the customer needs to be reasonably compensated. 

"In the instant case, issue pertains to deficiency in service on the part of opposite party (Bharti Infotel) as it did not entertain the request of complainant for disconnection of the DSL (internet) services, continuously raised the bills for the same and also made threatening calls pressurising him to pay the bill. 

"The action of opposite party amounts to deficiency in service and unfair trade practices... Complainant suffered inconvenience and harassment for which he is entitled to be reasonably compensated," a bench presided by Narendra Kumar said and directed Bharti Infotel to pay Rs 50,000 to Delhi resident Ranjan Mohapatra. 

The order was passed on a complaint made by Mohapatra, who had alleged that the telecom major did not entertain his request for disconnection of the DSL services that he had availed and even though he had stopped using it and settled the prior dues, they kept on raising fresh bills. 

Bharti Infotel then started making threatening calls to him to pay the bills, he alleged, adding that he even filed a police complaint against the telecom company for the same. 

In its defence, Bharti Infotel contended that Mohapatra had not surrendered the DSL services, was using it and the same had been billed accordingly. 

It also denied the allegation that threatening calls were made by its officials to Mohapatra, pressurising him to pay the bills. 

The forum, however, rejected the contentions saying the defence taken by Bharti Infotel "cannot be believed". (PTI)