New Delhi, February 26, 2026: In a seven-year consumer dispute that captured national attention, the Supreme Court has ordered ITC Limited to pay ₹25 lakh in compensation to model and aspiring actor Aashna Roy for a faulty haircut at the luxury salon's of its flagship ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi.
A bench comprising Justices Rajesh Bindal and Manmohan, in its judgment delivered on February 6, 2026, in ITC Limited vs Aashna Roy (Civil Appeal No. 3318 of 2023), upheld the finding of “deficiency in service” by the hotel but sharply reduced the quantum of compensation. The court set aside the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission’s (NCDRC) order awarding ₹2 crore (plus 9% interest), holding that such a large sum cannot be granted on “presumptions or whims and fancies” without reliable evidence of actual loss.
The incident took place on April 12, 2018. Roy, who had previously modelled for hair-care brands such as VLCC and Pantene and relied on her long hair as a professional asset, visited the ITC Maurya salon ahead of an important interview. She specifically instructed the stylist for “long flicks/layers covering her face in the front and at the back and a 4-inch straight hair trim from the bottom.” Instead, she alleged, the haircut was botched — cut far shorter than requested — and described by the stylist as a “London Haircut.” A subsequent hair treatment on May 3, 2018, allegedly involved excess ammonia, further damaging her hair and scalp.
Roy claimed the incident caused severe loss of confidence, mental trauma, depression and anxiety, forcing her to quit her corporate job at AMC Marketing Research Associates in June 2018 and derailing her modelling and acting career. She filed a consumer complaint (No. 1619 of 2018) before the NCDRC in July 2018, initially seeking ₹2 crore.
In September 2021, the NCDRC ruled in her favour, holding ITC guilty of deficiency in service and awarding the full ₹2 crore. ITC challenged the quantum before the Supreme Court. In February 2023, the apex court upheld the finding of deficiency but set aside the compensation amount for lack of evidence, remitting the matter to the NCDRC with directions to assess the quantum afresh. During the remand proceedings, Roy enhanced her claim to ₹5.2 crore and submitted photocopies of emails, certificates and documents purportedly showing lost opportunities.
The NCDRC, in its order dated April 25, 2023 (some reports cite 2024), once again awarded ₹2 crore with interest. ITC approached the Supreme Court again.
Delivering the final verdict, Justice Bindal wrote: “The damages cannot be awarded merely on presumptions or whims and fancies of the complainant. To make out a case for award of damages, especially when the claim is to the tune of crores of rupees, some trustworthy and reliable evidence has to be led.”
The court noted that the documents produced were only photocopies, their authors were not examined, originals were not produced despite denial by ITC, and no causal link between the haircut and the alleged losses was established. “Quantification of compensation has to be based upon material evidence and not on the mere asking,” the judgment emphasised.
However, since ITC had deposited ₹25 lakh during the first round of litigation in 2023 and the amount had already been released to Roy pursuant to the Supreme Court’s earlier directions, the bench ruled that this would be the final compensation. No further payment is required.
The ruling has been widely seen as a significant precedent on how consumer forums should quantify damages in service deficiency cases, stressing that claims running into crores must be supported by concrete, admissible evidence rather than assertions alone.
The protracted legal battle has finally concluded, offering partial relief to both parties: affirmation of consumer rights against high-end service providers, while setting a clear bar against unsubstantiated mega-compensation claims.
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