Firm to pay man for not providing immigration svc in Canada

The apex consumer commission has directed an immigration consultancy firm to pay Rs 1.5 lakh to a man for not providing him post-arrival immigration services in Canada, despite accepting the payment for it.
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) however reduced the amount of compensation as directed by the state consumer commission from Rs three lakh to Rs 50,000 considering that the man got a visa and permanent residency (PR) card in Canada.
The commission directed the immigration firm to pay the man a total amount of Rs 1.15 lakh, comprising Rs 65,000 as refund and a compensation of Rs 50,000 for deficiency.

"It is true that the complainant must have suffered mental agony and physical harassment due to lack of post- arrival services, a compensation of Rs three lakh awarded by the State Commission seems to be on a very high side because the opposite parties have fulfilled all the obligations as per the agreement...
"In the facts and circumstances of the case and particularly looking at the fact that complainant got visa and PR card in Canada, a compensation of Rs 50,000 seems reasonable," the NCDRC bench headed by Presiding Member Prem Narain said.
The commission's order came on the revision petitions filed by Kolkata-branch of Worldwide Immigration Consultancy Service and complainant Ratan Kumar Majumdar.

While Majumdar sought enhancement of the compensation of Rs three lakh awarded by the West Bengal state commission, the firm had moved the NCDRC setting aside of the compensation to the complainant, who is a Kolkata resident.

According to the complaint, Majumdar had approached the consultancy firm for obtaining Visa and PR card of Canada to work there.
He got the visa and went to Toronto in Canada on October 24, 2010 but was not provided any post-arrival service as per the terms of the agreement entered between both the parties, it was alleged in the complaint.
It further said that the complainant had to return to India in less than a year due to lack of service as promised, including accommodation, transport and temporary job.

The firm on the other hand contended that false allegations were levelled against it and it had already provided Canada's visa and PR card to him.