Indian Supreme Court Slashes Rs.2 Crore Award to Rs.25 Lakh in Model’s Botched Haircut Case

The Indian Supreme Court has significantly reduced the compensation awarded to a model for a faulty haircut at a luxury hotel’s salon in Delhi, trimming it from Rs.2 crore to Rs.25 lakh, citing a lack of reliable evidence to support the higher claim.

The ruling, delivered on February 6 by a bench comprising Justices Rajesh Bindal and Manmohan, came in the long-running consumer dispute between ITC Limited (owner of ITC Maurya hotel) and complainant Aashna Roy. The incident dates back to April 12, 2018, when Roy visited the hotel’s salon for a haircut ahead of a professional opportunity. She alleged that the stylist ignored her instructions, chopping her hair far shorter than requested, leaving only about 4 inches, resulting in severe emotional distress, humiliation, and loss of modeling assignments.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) initially found deficiency in service and awarded Rs.2 crore in compensation in 2021. In an earlier appeal, the Supreme Court upheld the finding of negligence but set aside the quantum, remanding the case for fresh assessment after noting the absence of concrete proof for such substantial damages.

Following the remand, Roy enhanced her claim to Rs.5.2 crore and submitted documents purportedly showing financial and emotional losses. The NCDRC reaffirmed the Rs.2 crore award (with 9% interest), prompting ITC’s second appeal.

In its recent judgment, the apex court held that large compensation amounts cannot be granted based on presumptions, assertions, or inadequate evidence. It emphasized that claims for crores require “trustworthy and admissible” proof of actual losses, such as verifiable career setbacks or income impacts. The court found the complainant’s evidence insufficient to justify the full amount.

The bench restricted the total compensation to Rs.25 lakh, already paid to Roy earlier, effectively setting aside the remaining award. This represents an 87.5% reduction from the NCDRC’s order.

The case, which spanned seven years from a simple salon visit to the nation’s highest court, underscores the need for solid substantiation in consumer disputes involving high-value damages.