‘Repay man who paid placement firm₹33k but was not hired’

The Additional Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Bandra ordered a placement agency to repay a candidate’s money with interest, along with a compensation of Rs25,000, as it failed to offer him a job and made him wait for 10 months.

The complainant, Samadhan Aamte, is a resident of Aurangabad. He was allegedly cheated by a city-based placement agency which promised him a job, made him pay Rs33,068 and then did not call him back.

Aamte said he was looking for employment when came across the agency’s advertisement regarding job placements to be held in January 2015. He visited their office in Chembur, where he was told that he had been selected for the post of a shopkeeper and was assured a salary of Rs50,000 a month.

To secure the job, Aamte was asked to undergo a medical check-up according to company policy. Aamte did all the tests, for which asked to pay the sum. After the tests and other formalities, he was asked to wait for 75 to 100 days for a call from the agency. He was asked to not call them.

Aamte, in his complaint, alleged that he did not receive any calls, letters or updates, but was asked to wait longer. Aamte was suspicious and so asked the agency to repay his expenses on October 2015. The agency only returned Rs16 200 Aamte them a legal notice asking them to pay him back Rs30,000, along with Rs20,000 as compensation.

The agency failed to respond, which is when Aamte filed a complaint with the forum. Representatives from the agency, however, failed to appear before the forum.

Looking at the proof submitted by Aamte, forum president SD Madake and member SV Kalal held the agency guilty for deficiency of service and adopting unfair trade practices. “We hold that complainant was subjected to wrongful loss and opponent was utilising his money, which was wrongfully gained. This is unjust enrichment by the opponent. The complainant is entitled to a refund,” the forum observed.

The forum has asked the agency to return Aamte’s money