06-07-2025
Consumer court in Ernakulam orders ‘IVF clinic' to pay Rs 2.66L for misleading couple
Kochi: The Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered a Kochi-based clinic to pay Rs 2.66 lakh to a couple who were misled by false promises of guaranteed success in IVF treatment.
The complaint was filed under Section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
The couple, married since 2002 and struggling with infertility, had attended a medical camp organized by the opposite party, M/s Broun Hall International India Pvt Ltd, at a hospital in Vadakara. There, Praveen Nair and Praveen Pillai—misrepresenting themselves as infertility specialists—promised a 100% success rate in IVF and urged immediate enrollment, citing high demand.
The commission stated that, according to the complainant, an initial advance of Rs 1,000 was collected at the camp, followed by Rs 2.4 lakh once the couple signed up for treatment.
However, after the payment was made, the clinic backtracked on its guarantees and demanded an additional Rs 40,000 for further tests. The couple complied, but later realised the treatment was a sham and that the clinic was more of a marketing outfit than a genuine medical provider.
When the promised treatment was not delivered and the refund denied, the couple approached the consumer court.
The commission bench—comprising DB Binu, V Ramachandran, and TN Srividya—ruled that the promised service was neither provided nor its 100% success guarantee fulfilled, resulting in financial loss and mental distress for the complainant. They stressed the need for strong intervention to protect consumers from such exploitative practices in the healthcare sector.
The court ordered the opposing party to return the Rs 2.41 lakh paid by the complainant and an additional Rs 25,000 for court costs and compensation, to be paid within 30 days.
