Meta, Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho fined Rs 10 lakh each for selling unauthorised walkie-talkies

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties totaling Rs 44 lakh on eight ecommerce platforms for facilitating the sale of unauthorised walkie-talkies that violate consumer protection and telecom laws.

Meta Platforms (Facebook Marketplace), Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho were each fined Rs 10 lakh, while Chimiya, JioMart, Talk Pro, and MaskMan Toys received Rs 1 lakh penalties for violations including misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.

The action followed the identification of over 16,970 non-compliant listings across 13 ecommerce platforms. Nidhi Khare, Consumer Affairs Secretary, confirmed that Meesho, Meta, Chimiya, JioMart, and Talk Pro have paid their penalties, with payments from remaining platforms awaited.

The platforms were found selling Personal Mobile Radios (PMRs) operating outside the licence-exempt 446.0-446.2 MHz frequency band, without Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certification or proper disclosure of licensing requirements.

Flipkart recorded the highest volume with 65,931 units sold where frequency ranges were either undisclosed or fell outside permitted bands. Amazon sold 2,602 units between January 2023 and May 2025, with 467 listings lacking proper certification details. Meesho sold 2,209 units through a single seller, with most listings failing to disclose ETA certification.

Facebook Marketplace had 710 listings delisted following CCPA intervention, despite claiming intermediary status.

Several platforms attempted to invoke intermediary protections to disclaim responsibility for third-party listings. The CCPA firmly rejected this defence.

"Intermediary protections are conditional upon the exercise of effective due diligence and do not extend to situations where platforms permit products to be listed without mandatory statutory disclosures," the authority said.

Talk Pro was found making false claims that devices operating across UHF 400-1200 MHz were "100% legal" and "licence-free," while Chimiya was offering walkie-talkies imported without mandatory approvals.

The CCPA has notified new guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment on ecommerce platforms, 2025, developed in consultation with the Department of Telecommunications and Ministry of Home Affairs.

These mandate verification of frequency compliance and ETA certification prior to listing, full disclosure of licensing requirements, prohibition of misleading advertisements, and deployment of automated monitoring mechanisms.

Platforms have been directed to conduct self-audits, publish audit certificates online, and strengthen pre-listing compliance mechanisms.

The CCPA warned that unauthorised radio devices can interfere with critical national communication networks used by law enforcement, disaster response authorities, and emergency services.

"Such interference can disrupt essential operations and compromise communications vital to public order and national security," the authority said, adding that consumers shopping online rely heavily on product descriptions and face regulatory risks when purchasing non-compliant devices.

Five additional matters involving Antriksh Technologies, IndiaMart, Tradeindia.com, Vardaanmart, and Krishna Mart remain under investigation.

(With inputs from PTI)