Mr. Justice M.B. Shah, President—This case illustrates how a public functionary can act maliciously and exercise the power which results in harassment and agony to the citizen. It also illustrates that an ordinary citizen can fight and expose undesirable functioning in the public offices by not succumbing to the demand of illegal gratification.

2. Facts in brief are that, Ram Avtar Gupta, complainant, filed complaint No. 2536 of 1999 before the District Forum (District North), Delhi, alleging deficiency in service against the Chief Post Master, G.P.O., Delhi, for not delivering the speed post letter in time.

3. It is the say of the complainant that a speed post letter containing four air tickets for a flight scheduled to leave on 26th May, 1998 at 11.00 a.m., was sent to him at his address at Delhi from Indore on 22nd May, 1998. When the complainant did not receive the said letter upto 25th May, 1998, he made inquiries on telephone from the G.P.O. about the status of the same. He was informed that the said letter would be delivered to him by 7.00 p.m. positively. Further, it is the say of the complainant that as he did not receive the letter till 9.00 a.m. on 26th May, 1998 he h