Reliance Com ran SMS contest but gave no prizes says complaint

Chennai, Mar 15 (UNI) Madras High Court today directed police to register a case based on a complaint, alleging charges of cheating by Reliance Communications Limited for running SMS contests and not announcing prizes, if the charge constituted a cognizable offence.

Passing orders on a petition by J Udayakrishnan, a subscriber of Reliance Telephones, Mr Justice K N Basha directed the petitioner to give a copy of the complaint dated February 5, 2007 in person to the police. The police should register a case if the allegations constituted a cognizable offence and file a report within six months.

In his petition, Mr Udhayakrishan submitted that in the month of November 2006, he participated in an ICC Trophy contest conducted by Reliance through 6000 SMS, spending Rs 20,877. But the company had not announced the winner or intimated the petitioner about the result of the contest. When inquired with, the company informed him that he would be told about the result. The company did not do so.

He also participated in the Film Dhamaka contest by sending SMS spending Rs 32,850. Once again, the company did not inform him of the result. The company had been giving false promises and had trapped him to join contests. So he had given a complaint to the Inspector of Police, Cyber Crime against the company for cheating.

But the police did not take any action. So the present petition, seeking a direction to police to register his complaint and take suitable action against Reliance Communication Limited.

UNI