Loss over hair loss treatment; man drags Pune doctor to court

Pune: If you are not satisfied with the ‘makeover’ packages offered by hair loss or weight loss clinics, and think that your money has gone down the drain, do not fear as there may be hope. A man from Satara who paid Rs18,000 for a hair loss treatment, realising that it didn’t work wonders as claimed, dragged the doctor to consumer forum.
Not only was he awarded full refund, including registration fee, but got another Rs8,000 as compensation for mental harassment and for legal fees, in a case pleaded by lawyer Kiran Ghune.
About three years ago, Kiran Varude, came across an advertisement by a homeopathic clinic for a treatment for hair loss. After paying Rs300 towards registration fees, he enrolled in a three-month programme costing Rs18,000 at the clinic in Pune’s Koregaon park.
In his plaint before additional district consumer grievance redressal forum, Varude alleged that the clinic director Kavita Sonawane assured him of a permanent solution for hair loss, but 15 months later, Varude realised that the hair loss treatment is not working. After failing to get his money back, he filed case in forum alleging inferior quality treatment and disparity in promised results.
Since Sonawane didn’t respond to notice sent by forum, the proceedings continued and in a recent order, forum headed by panel members V P Utpat and Geeta Ghatge ordered Sonawane to return Rs 18,300 to Varude which he paid as treatment fees, along with an additional amount of Rs3,000 for legal expenses and Rs5,000 for physical and mental harassment. The amount has to be paid with six weeks.