A 42-year-old Amol Bhagat placed an order for a mobile phone with a reputed online shopping portal Flipkart. The package was delivered at his house in Uttan, Bhayandar (West) on proposed timing. He paid the mobile cost with Cash-on-Delivery (CoD) mode of Rs 9,500 for the ordered product.
When Bhagat unboxed the product, the mason received shocked of life. Instead of brand new mobile phone, the poor mason got a bar of soap of almost equivalent weight. Before he could recover from the shock and call the delivery boy Sanjay Gupta, he had already left the place.
Immediately, Bhagat informed his neighbours and MBMC corporator- Sharmila Baggaji. The Corporator contacted the delivery boy through the mechanism. Luckily, Gupta had not gone too far, he came back. They dragged the matter to the Uttan Coastal Police Station. However, the police has not registered any complaint as the matter comes under consumer affairs.
The delivery boy Gupta, who worked for the logistics company hired by the Flipkart claimed innocence. Local says he frequently deliver products in the area. However, the logistics firm is under scanner for the ‘scam’.
“He was allowed to go after representatives of the logistics promised to initiate a refund within seven days, failing which we will take necessary action,” said Baggaji.
“Yes, they had bought the delivery boy here at the police station. However, such type of incidents come under the purview of consumer forums,” said police personnel.
This is not the first incident with online shoppers. People have reported multiple cases describing their horror of receiving stones, bricks, soap bars and even thrash in their packages. However, in many cases, the police have registered criminal offences against the shopping portals and logistics firms.
