Health club fined Rs 2L for 'illegally' terminating membership

The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum also directed Delhi Police and the civic agencies to review the no-objection certificate granted to the health club to run its business here.

"We are clearly of the considered view, that opposite party (Fitness First India Pvt Ltd) has acted illegally, unfairly, unconscionably, unjustly and mala fide by cancelling the membership of the complainants without any prior notice and without any violation of contract on part of complainants (Praveen Swami and Mihira Sood).

"We award punitive damages of Rs two lakh on the opposite party in each case. It is ordered that 50 per cent of this amount will be deposited by it in Delhi State Consumer Welfare Fund and the balance Rs one lakh would be paid to each complainant towards damages for harassment and legal expenses.

"Delhi Police and Municipal agencies are directed to review no-objection certificate or license granted to it to run this business," the bench presided by C K Chaturvedi said.

The forum's order came on the complaint of New Delhi residents -- Praveen Swami, a journalist, and Mihira Sood, an advocate -- who had alleged that the club had terminated their memberships after they had raised issues regarding changes in the facilities offered to them, from what was promised at the time of signing the membership agreement. (MORE)