₹44 lakh fine on Amazon, Flipkart and 6 other e-sellers:Govt cracks down on illegal walkie-talkie sales citing threat to national security

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties totaling ₹44 lakh on eight e-commerce companies, including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, and Meta, for selling illegal walkie-talkies. The authority termed these sales a serious threat to national security. Action by CCPA The action was taken after it was found that walkie-talkies were being sold without mandatory licenses, frequency compliance, or technical approvals. This violated the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and existing telecom laws. An investigation revealed that over 16,970 non-compliant walkie-talkie listings were available across these platforms. Penalties Imposed According to Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare, Meesho, Meta, Chimia, Jiomart, and Talk Pro have already deposited the penalty amounts, while payments from the remaining companies are still awaited. Devices Operated on Unauthorized Frequencies As per Indian regulations, walkie-talkies can be used without a license only if they operate between 446.0–446.2 MHz. The CCPA found that many devices were: Platform-wise Irregularities National Security Concerns CCPA warned that unauthorized radio equipment can interfere with police, disaster management, and emergency communication networks. Such interference could disrupt sensitive government operations and pose a direct risk to national security. ‘Intermediary’ Argument Rejected Several platforms claimed they were merely intermediaries hosting third-party sellers. The CCPA rejected this defense, stating that companies that list, host, and promote products are equally responsible and must use technology to prevent illegal listings. New 2025 Guidelines for E-commerce Platforms To strengthen accountability, CCPA has issued Guidelines 2025 for Prevention of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment, formulated in consultation with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Under the new rules, e-commerce companies must: These measures aim to curb the sale of unauthorized communication devices and protect consumer safety and national security.