Flipkart registers FIR against employee and MRPL for supplying fake products

India's e-commerce major Flipkart has filed a police complaint against its vendor and supplier Macrowagon Retail (MRPL) for allegedly committing cheat, fraud, and breach of trust.

MRPL along with the Flipkart employees were hand in glove for importing sub-standard products at a lower price while continuing to charge it the rate agreed upon for genuine goods, said an ET report quoting person aware of the development.

That is not all, the Bengaluru-based firm found cheating extended to falsified bills and invoices to hide the fraud.

“Flipkart has a zero-tolerance policy on all incidents of fraud or breach of trust and takes all violations very seriously," said Flipkart spokesperson.

However, MRPL has denied the allegations and charges put on them.

“Flipkart's charges are baseless. They (Flipkart) connected us to the suppliers and asked us to import these goods for a fixed margin. I have all legal contracts on which Flipkart has indemnified us from any IPR claims," MRPL spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the employee, who has played a key role in this, is yet to react to the development.

In December 2017, US footwear brand Skechers had filed cases against the e-commerce marketplace and four sellers on its platform for allegedly selling its counterfeit products.

Skechers raided seven warehouses in Delhi and Ahmedabad to recover fake merchandise from sellers Retail Net, Tech Connect, Unichem Logistics and Marco Wagon, the company said in its petition submitted to the Delhi High Court.

It found more than 15,000 pairs of fake shoes that were to be sold as Skechers.

So far, online retailers have maintained that they are only online marketplaces- merely help connect sellers with consumers. Many e-commerce websites have been accused of selling counterfeit products on their platforms.

There are multiple events where e-tailers have drawn flak over products sold. Earlier in 2013, a Flipkart customer received a pair of stones after placing an order for an iPod. In October 2014, a Snapdeal customer received a bar of soap after ordering a Samsung phone.