Raids on Amazon and Flipkart Warehouses Linked to Single Company, Says Consumer Affairs Ministry
NEW DELHI: The Indian government has taken action against the distribution of substandard products through major e-commerce platforms. The Consumer Affairs Ministry has revealed that raids conducted on Amazon and Flipkart warehouses were linked to a single company, Techvision International Pvt Ltd.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) spearheaded the search and seizure operations in warehouses across the country. According to a ministry statement, the primary goal was to curb the distribution of non-certified products sold online. The raids were executed in cities including Lucknow, Gurugram, and Delhi.
Investigations by BIS into these non-certified goods—which included electronics, kitchen appliances, and toys—narrowed the source down to Techvision International Pvt Ltd. The Ministry’s statement confirmed, “BIS’s investigations into multiple violations on both Amazon and Flipkart traced non-certified products back to Techvision International Pvt Ltd.”
Acting on this information, BIS raided two Techvision International facilities in Delhi, seizing a significant quantity of products, including:
- 7,000 electric water heaters
- 4,000 electric food mixers
- 95 electric room heaters
- 40 gas stoves
These items lacked the necessary BIS certification. The seized products included brands like Digismart, Activa, Inalsa, Cello Swift, and Butterfly.
The Ministry has initiated legal action under the BIS Act, 2016, against responsible entities, including filing two court cases against M/s Techvision International Pvt Ltd.
Amazon Issues Statement Regarding the Raids
In response to the BIS action, Amazon issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to a safe marketplace. “We require sellers of all products to comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies. We ensure our selection meets industry-accepted standards, and we develop innovative tools to prevent unsafe products from being listed. We take actions to maintain a safe selection for our customers, including removing noncompliant products, and outreach to sellers, manufacturers, and government agencies for additional information, when appropriate,” the statement said.
The Consumer Affairs Ministry also highlighted that BIS certification is mandatory for certain products due to potential hazards, with non-certified products lacking the ISI Mark or with an invalid license number. BIS has identified that several non-certified products are available on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Myntra, and BigBasket. The BIS is the primary product certification agency in India.
