Garments Shop Owner Fined For Unauthorized Kohli Ad

Many readymade garments shop-owners are adopting unfair trade practices by using images of celebrities in advertisements published in newspapers for promoting their products. Taking this as a serious issue, an Osmania University student lodged a complaint on a garment shop situated in the city, with the Telangana Consumer Disputes and Redressal Cell.

Trader Shriram Fashion Clothing Company was using photos of Indian Cricket Captain Virat Kohli in its advertisements, portraying him as the company's brand ambassador without his approval. Baglekar Akash Kumar, a law student of the Osmania University, lodged a complaint against this on November 9, 2018.

The cell responded quickly and issued a notice to the owners of the company. Upon receiving the notice, the shop owners admitted their faults and agreed not to use celebrities' pictures in their advertisements any more.

As what they did amounted to an unfair trade practice, the cell ordered the shop-owner to pay Rs 10,000 to Akash Kumar. In return, Kumar donated the amount to the cell for its efforts to create awareness among consumers, give free consultation and solve cases.

Kumar handed over the cheque to the Secretary for Telangana Consumer Affairs Akun Sabharwal.

Kumar said that the way the cell and the Commissioner responded was appreciable. He thanked both the Commissioner and his staff for handling the case smoothly to see that both the parties got justice.

Sabharwal appreciated Kumar for his initiative in taking up the case, which he said was the first of its kind. He said that people should be cautious about believing advertisements.