Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Hotel group ordered to pay damages for humiliating guests

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Nov. 12. In a complaint about a New Year bash in a resort that ended in a scuffle between some guests and hotel employees, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered the hotel management to compensate the guests for causing them public humiliation and distress.

In separate complaints filed by K. Baiju, R. Sreenath and M. Sachithanandan of Punalur, the District Forum has ordered the Taj Garden Retreat, Varkala, to pay Rs. 25,000 as compensation and Rs. 2,500 as costs to each of the complainants.

The incident occurred during the Millennium celebration held on the evening of December 31, 1999, at Taj Garden Retreat, Varkala, in which the complainants had participated.

The complainants claimed that Dr. Baiju was declared the winner of the `luckiest' person prize in a lucky dip. The prize was free air tickets and stay at Taj Coral Reef resort in the Maldives. However, the General Manager of the resort later approached the complainants and demanded the voucher back, it was alleged. Complainants claimed that they were humiliated and roughed up by the hotel staff.

The hotel management contended that four prizes had been announced at the lucky dip. They claimed that Dr. Baiju won the fourth prize and not the first prize. Due to a mix-up, he had been given the voucher of the first prize. The first prize was won by one Vijayan Nair of Varkala, it was claimed.

It was alleged that Dr. Baiju refused to return the voucher and that the complainants, in an inebriated state, had misbehaved with the guests and that there had been several complaints against them.

The District Forum held a detailed trial unlike the usual summary trial and many witnesses were examined.

An independent witness, Asha Haris, who was also one of the guests at the party, said that four prizes were announced at the party--`the luckiest man of the new millennium', the best dancing couple, `the man with the golden tooth' and `the lady with the black handkerchief'.

Only the `luckiest man of the new millennium' was selected through a lucky dip and Dr. Baiju was declared the winner. None by the name of Vijayan Nair had won a prize and there was no mix- up of vouchers, Ms. Haris said. She also refuted the allegation that the complainants had misbehaved.

The Forum said that the `mix-up of vouchers' seemed like a story concocted by the opposite party to save face. It pointed out that the opposite party had not even cared to question the deposition by the independent witness.

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