EKIDO TOURS AND TRAVELS Vs. GURDIAL BHASIN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an appeal filed against order dated 25.9.2003 passed by District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II, U. T. , Chandigarh [for short hereinafter referred to as the District Forum] in Complaint Case No.142 of 2001.

(2.) The respondents Shri Gurdial Bhasin, his wife Smt. Satish Bhasin and his daughter Ms. Puja Bhasin contacted M/s. Grant Travels for visiting Dubai to witness and participate in Dubai Festival held from 1.3.2001 to 31.3.2001. M/s. Grand Travels informed Shri Gurdial Bhasin that it would get them only unconfirmed tickets reserved, which will have to be confirmed only after they had procured visa and the arrangement for their stay in a hotel at Dubai. M/s. Grand Travels informed Sh. Gurdial Bhasin that they would make an effort in this regard but were not assured whether they could be able to arrange a visa and stay in hotel. It was, at this stage, that Sh. Gurdial Bhasin contacted the appellant M/s. Ekido Tours and Travels, SCO No.122-123 (Basement ). Sector 8-C, Chandigarh which gave Sh. Gurdial Bhasin a positive assurance that they could definitely arrange for visa and their stay at Dubai and asked Sh. Gurdial Bhasin to pay a sum of Rs.14,000/-. A sum of Rs.14,000/- was paid by the respondents/complainants vide receipt No.1548 of 10.3.2001.

(3.) It was next alleged that the appellant also assured the complainants that they would get the tickets arranged for them. The air tickets to Dubai were available for the flight leaving India at 5.50 a. m. on 21.3.2001. The appellant/o. P. , however, failed to arrange visa and their stay in a hotel at Dubai till 20.3.2001 and as such the complainants could not get the tickets confirmed. The complainants, in the meantime, obtained "immigration Clearance Not Required" endorsement on their respective passports made by Passport Authorities. The complainants intended to stay in Dubai for four nights. The complainants visited the office of the appellant/o. P. to find out whether visa had been arranged and whether the arrangement for stay in Dubai had been made but they learnt that the Proprietor/managing Director of the appellant/o. P. had left for Mauritius and left a message for the complainants that they could contact their Ludhiana office. The Ludhiana office, on being so contacted, informed the complainants that necessary arrangements for Sh. Gurdial Bhasin and party could not be made as visas could not be arranged and arrangement for their stay at Dubai could not also be made.