A consumer court in Hyderabad has fined Swiggy Rs 35,000 after a complaint about inflated delivery charges. The order came from the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in response to a case filed by Emmadi Suresh Babu, a resident of Hyderabad. Babu, a Swiggy One member who is usually eligible for free delivery, alleged that he was wrongly charged a delivery fee when he ordered food through the app on November 1, 2023.

According to Babu’s complaint, he ordered from a restaurant located 9.7 kilometers from his residence, but Swiggy calculated the distance as 14 kilometers, which led to a delivery charge of Rs 103. This discrepancy, he argued, was an attempt by the food delivery platform to overcharge him despite his membership benefits. Babu brought the issue to the attention of the consumer court, claiming that Swiggy had acted unfairly by inflating the delivery distance and charging him fees he was not supposed to incur.

Upon reviewing the case, the consumer court found merit in Babu’s claims. It ordered Swiggy to refund the Rs 103 delivery charge and imposed additional penalties on the company. The court directed Swiggy to pay Rs 5,000 to Babu as compensation for the mental distress and inconvenience caused. Furthermore, Swiggy was instructed to cover the Rs 5,000 litigation costs incurred by Babu. In addition to compensating the complainant, Swiggy was fined Rs 25,000, which will be paid into the Consumer Welfare Fund of the Ranga Reddy District Commission as punitive damages.

Swiggy now has a 45-day deadline to comply with the court’s orders, failing which additional legal consequences may follow. The decision underscores consumer rights protection and holds companies accountable for transparent and fair practices, emphasizing that any attempt to overcharge or mislead customers can result in legal repercussions.