MUMBAI:The Maharashtra government on Friday filed a first information report (FIR) against e-commerce major Snapdeal.com for alleged online sale of medicines, including drugs that are to be sold only on prescription.
Commissioner of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) of Maharashtra Harshadeep Kamble said a FIR has been filed against Snapdeal.com’s Chief Executive Officer Kunal Bahl and other directors.
The FDA conducted a raid last month after receiving information that various medicines, including prescription drugs, were being sold online, which is not permissible since it can pose danger to the person consuming them without advice from a doctor.
Following this, FDA issued notices to Snapdeal and asked it to give details of the drugs being sold, distributed and displayed on its website for sale.
Snapdeal had stated that it was delisting drugs from its portal and would help investigators.
Kamble said only a licensed retailer can sell drugs online and that too on the basis of prescription of a doctor.
Snapdeal, in a release, stated that the company was assisting the FDA in its investigation.
“Snapdeal.com acts as an intermediary between the seller and buyer of the products listed on the platform.
“Though we periodically educate sellers on engaging in fair and safe sales on the platform and consequences of selling inappropriate products, at times sellers end up listing such products.
“Upon being notified of any such products, we delist the products and take appropriate action against such seller. We have already delisted the products,” the release stated.
Lawsuit against Flipkart, Amazon, e-bay
In another case against an e-commerce website, a Mumbai-based designer saree making company Shree Meena Creation has filed a lawsuit against Flipkart, Amazon and e-bay for selling replicas of its saree-designs, thereby violating copyright. “We have Tammana Bhatia as our brand ambassador and we design these sarees, and these e-commerce companies are openly selling them as our replicas,’’ a Shree Meena official said over the phone. The saree company is spending money on creativity, designs its apparel and spends money on brand ambassador, he said. While the company’s original creation fetches it a high price, the replicas are sold at a fraction of the price. The Bombay High Court will decide whether to admit the case.