Hindustan Unilever Ltd. fined Rs. 27 lakh for a misleading 'Surf Excel' ad

 

New Delhi: After a 9-year long struggle, Delhi resident Pramod Gupta finally received justice from the Delhi consumer court commission. A penalty of Rs.27 lakh has been imposed on the Hindustan Unilever Ltd for 'cheating on its customers' through a temporary fraudulent advertisement on its product 'Surf Excel'.  According to a complaint filed by Gupta, a scheme was introduced by the company that promised a scholarship of Rs.5 lakh to the children of the person who found a piece of cloth inside the detergent packet. Gupta, who was enthused over being one such winner, went all the way to Mumbai in 2007 to claim his prize but to his surprise, he was denied the money. After which he approached the district forum. "9 years ago, I started this fight to support my daughter's education. In 2007, to claim a prize I won on a Rs.100 surf excel packet, I spent Rs.11,000 to go to Mumbai and personally submit the piece of cloth. According to the rules of the scheme, my daughter should have received a scholarship of Rs.5 lakh but she didn't. Today, my daughter is studying in class 12. If the case went on for another 9 years, would my grandchildren get the scholarship money?" said Mr Gupta, reported The Quint. Even though the verdict has been made in Gupta's favour, he told The Quint that he isn't expecting anything out of the case. The Delhi resident said that he had the support of the judge and the lawyers who believed that the case was a powerful one. However, the companies are even more powerful, he said. "I am 99.99% sure that I will not get anything out of this case. Companies will keep dragging me from one court to another, but nothing will be achieved," he added.