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Postal authorities accountable for tampered parcels

In a recent case, the district consumer disputes redressal forum directed the postmaster, Manimajra Post Office to refund Rs 29,042 and pay compensation of Rs 20,000 for failing to safely deliver a parcel sent by the sector 37-based complainant through speed post. The forum was of the view that a departmental inquiry should be conducted to ascertain why the parcel reached its destination in a tempered state. In his complaint, Ripan Kumar alleged that he sent medicines worth Rs 29,042 to Critical Drugs Agency, Imphal, Manipur through speed post vide receipt dated June 4, 2015. T
he parcel, he said, reached Imphal on June 12, 2015 in a tampered condition after which authorities at the Imphal post office sent a report to the agency.
During checking, it was found that the medicines ordered were missing. Thereafter, the parcel was returned to Ripan with a letter saying it was open when received. In its reply, the post master admitted that the speed post article weighing 5,880 grams was booked at the Manimajra post office. However, he denied that the complainant sent medicines in the speed post article. It was stated that contents and the value of the postal article were not disclosed by the complainant and that the complainant sent the valuables in the postal article in violation of speed post rules.
He further contended that Ripan, in order to save postal charges had sent the contents through ordinary speed post for which the postal department could not be held liable in view of Section 6 of the Indian Post Office Act.
After hearing both sides the forum was of the view that "there is a duty cast upon the postal authorities to deliver the consignment to the consignee in its original form."

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