Archive · 16 Nov 2025
Chandigarh Consumer Body Orders Lab to Pay Rs 25,000 for Incorrect COVID-19 Report
Imagine you went to a doctor for a test, and they told you the result was 'okay.'
But then, by mistake, they accidentally told everyone else that your result was 'bad.'
This mistake caused you a lot of trouble, like people being afraid to be near you and not letting you stay at a hotel.
Later, the doctor admitted they made a mistake with the bad result, but they didn't show proof that they fixed it right away.
A special group that helps people with problems like this decided the doctor's office had to pay you money for the trouble and distress their mistake caused.
They said that telling someone they have something bad when they don't can be very upsetting, especially during difficult times.
A Chandigarh consumer body ordered a lab to pay Rs 25,000 for wrongly uploading a COVID-19 positive report.
The complainant, Rajni Thareja, received a negative report initially but later learned her result was incorrectly marked as positive on the ICMR portal.
The incorrect report led to the complainant facing isolation and denial of accommodation in Mussoorie.
The laboratory admitted the error was a clerical mistake and claimed it was corrected promptly.
The commission found the lab deficient in service and rejected their defense due to a lack of proof regarding the correction.
- Who
- Atulaya Healthcare (diagnostic laboratory)
- What
- Directed to pay Rs 25,000 compensation for uploading an incorrect COVID-19 positive report on the ICMR portal.
- When
- Reported on December 15, 2020, with the commission's decision later.
- Where
- Chandigarh, India
- Why
- Due to a clerical mistake resulting in a 'deficiency in service' that caused mental agony and harassment to the complainant.
Consumer's Claim
Laboratory's Defense
Impact of Incorrect Report
Consumer's Claim
The complainant suffered severe mental agony, humiliation, business loss, tarnished professional and social image, isolation by fellow travelers, and denial of accommodation due to the incorrect 'positive' report.
Laboratory's Defense
The laboratory claimed no harm was caused as the error was corrected promptly, and they immediately notified the online portal to amend the mistake.
Proof of Correction
Consumer's Claim
The complainant argued that the lab never directly informed her of the error.
Laboratory's Defense
The laboratory stated they corrected the error and sent an email to the ICMR portal for amendment, but failed to produce proof of this correction when requested by the commission.
- Complainant
- Rajni Thareja
- Laboratory
- Atulaya Healthcare
- Date of Test
- December 13, 2020
- Date of Initial Report
- December 14, 2020 (Negative)
- Date of Incorrect Upload
- December 15, 2020 (Positive)
- Compensation Awarded
- Rs 25,000 (compensation and litigation costs)