Bengaluru, Jan 19 (.) The Central Consumer Protection Authority’s (CCPA) crackdown on the illegal sale of walkie-talkies on e-commerce platforms is timely and essential to protect both consumer safety and national security, Arya Omnitalk CEO Paresh Shetty said on Monday.
Reacting to the CCPA’s action, Shetty said unauthorised and licence-free walkie-talkies violate established regulatory frameworks and pose serious risks by enabling misuse and interference with critical communication networks used by essential services and industries.
“As India’s largest licensed radio communication service provider, Arya Omnitalk has consistently advocated the responsible use of wireless technology, strict adherence to WPC and DoT guidelines, and the need for a regulated and secure communication infrastructure. This enforcement sends a strong message that communication technology cannot be treated merely as a commodity; it is critical national infrastructure,” he said.
The CCPA has taken suo motu cognisance of large-scale illegal listings and sales of walkie-talkies on e-commerce platforms and imposed monetary penalties on major online marketplaces for violations of consumer protection and telecom regulations.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority acted after identifying over 16,970 non-compliant walkie-talkie listings across major e-commerce platforms and issued notices to 13 entities, including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, JioMart and Meta’s Facebook Marketplace. The Authority found that several platforms were facilitating the sale of unauthorised walkie-talkies without mandatory statutory approvals or adequate disclosures to consumers.
The CCPA said many devices were sold without clear information on operating frequencies, licensing requirements or Equipment Type Approval, a mandatory certification from the Department of Telecommunications through the WPC Wing. A large number of walkie-talkies were found operating in the regulated Ultra High Frequency band used by police, emergency and disaster response agencies, while several listings falsely claimed the products were “licence-free” or “100 per cent legal”.
Noting that such sales violate telecom, consumer protection and e-commerce laws, the Authority imposed penalties of Rs 10 lakh each on Meesho, Flipkart, Amazon and Meta Platforms Inc., and Rs 1 lakh each on Chimiya, JioMart, Talk Pro and MaskMan Toys, with proceedings against other entities ongoing. Rejecting claims of intermediary status, the CCPA warned that unauthorised radio devices pose serious risks to public safety and national security and directed platforms to ensure full legal compliance.
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