Now Reading: Amazon fined Rs 1 lakh for fake Ram Mandir prasad listings
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Amazon fined Rs 1 lakh for fake Ram Mandir prasad listings
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a Rs 1 lakh penalty on Amazon for listing commercially made sweets as authentic 'Ayodhya Ram Mandir Prasad'. The regulator found the listings misleading…
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a Rs 1 lakh penalty on Amazon for listing commercially made sweets as authentic 'Ayodhya Ram Mandir Prasad'. The regulator found the listings misleading and capable of exploiting devotees' religious sentiments, especially as they appeared just before the January 2024 Pran Pratishtha ceremony. Four sweet packs, priced between Rs 299 and Rs 385, were sold by Patna-based M/s Chandu Trading Company under the Bihar Brothers brand.
The CCPA rejected Amazon's safe harbour defence under the IT Act, ruling that intermediary status does not absolve the platform of consumer protection law responsibilities. The regulator noted that the term 'Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad' has a specific religious meaning and that none of the products had authorisation from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The final order was issued on August 4, 2026, closing proceedings that began in January 2024.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The CCPA's order signals a hardening stance on e-commerce platforms that allow religious imagery to be used for commercial gain without verification. The Rs 1 lakh fine is nominal for a company of Amazon's size, but the principle established is significant: platforms cannot hide behind intermediary status when listings exploit faith. The regulator's focus on the timing, days before the consecration ceremony, shows it viewed this as a case of vulnerable consumers being targeted. Watch for similar CCPA actions against other platforms that fail to screen religious references in product titles.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
