Pune: Kothrud-based wedding photographer Swapnil Dattatrey Nimbalkar has been fined Rs 2.04 lakh by the consumer grievance redressal forum. The case was filed by Vishwajit Baravkar, a resident of Ambethan Chowk in Chakan after the wedding photographer failed to deliver the photo album despite making the payment of Rs 85,000.
Pune District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum President Umesh Jawalikar and members Kshitija Kulkarni and Sangeeta Deshmukh issued this order. The forum has ordered that respondent Nimbalkar should refund the Rs 85,000 amount paid by the complainant and above that should pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for deficient service, Rs 10 thousand for litigation cost and Rs 9,500 for hard disk cost to the complainant.
According to the complaint, Baravkar had given the marriage photo and videography assignment to Swapnil Nimbalkar in May 2017. Nimbalkar was supposed to click all photos and videos of the marriage ceremony of Baravkar. Nimbalkar was paid Rs 85 thousand for this job.
On the wedding day, when Baravkar asked about the photos, he realized that the photos and videos were ruined. However, Swapnil had assured that he would rectify all the photos and videos of the wedding ceremony. Swapnil did not keep his word and as a result, Baravkar contacted an acquaintance who was a computer expert to restore the photos and videos. Baravkar had to pay Rs 9,549 for this restoration of photos and videos. Baravkar handed over these photos and videos to Nimbalkar but still, he did not process them and refused to give the album as decided in their service contract.
Baravkar then approached the consumer court which issued a notice to Nimbalkar. However, Nimbalkar did not appear before the forum. The forum heard the complainant's arguments. The forum in its order says the complainant has missed out on important and memorable moments of his life. The respondent has provided deficient service and has indulged in unfair practices.
