 "momos")
A Mumbai consumer forum has dismissed a ₹6 lakh compensation claim filed by two Dadar residents who alleged they were served chicken momos instead of vegetarian ones at a Wow Momo outlet in Sion in December 2020.
According to a report by The Times of India, the Mumbai Suburban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission rejected the plea after finding inconsistencies in the complainants’ version of events and questioning their choice of venue.
Invoice showed non-veg order, said panel
The complainants—Gargi Joshi and Jitesh Mundhwa—claimed they had twice ordered vegetarian momos as part of a ₹120 combo meal. They alleged that consuming meat violated their religious beliefs and disrupted their plans for a puja.
However, the commission, comprising President Pradeep G Kadu and Member Gauri M Kapse, pointed to the invoice, which indicated a non-vegetarian order. The panel also noted the absence of substantial evidence, observing that “a prudent person would be able to distinguish between veg and non-veg food before consuming it.”
The panel added that the photos submitted by the complainants did not clearly show meat content.
Also Read
Religious impact not proven
The commission rejected the claim that any religious ceremony was affected. It noted that the complainants failed to provide the names of any priest or details regarding the puja allegedly disrupted by the incident.
“They have failed to disclose even the nature, name, date and place of the puja or religious ceremonies,” the commission stated.
The panel also dismissed the argument that the outlet’s signage failed to differentiate food types. It pointed out that the board did mention “veg or non-veg” at the bottom.
Wow Momo says refund issued
The complainants had contacted Wow Momo’s head office in Kolkata and later met with its Mumbai team. While an apology was reportedly offered, no agreement was reached.
In its defence, Wow Momo argued that the complainants had “suppressed facts” and had themselves ordered a non-vegetarian dish, as evident from the bill.
The company also said that a refund had already been processed, and a goodwill voucher worth ₹1,200 was offered. It claimed that Joshi and Mundhwa later demanded ₹3 lakh each in compensation.
Wow Momo further alleged that the server named in the complaint was not an employee and that the individual had been assaulted during the altercation.
After hearing both parties and reviewing the documents, the commission found no merit in the case and dismissed the complaint.
The forum concluded that by choosing to dine at a mixed-menu restaurant, the complainants should have exercised greater caution and could not claim to be unaware of the risks.
