Amazon India Head Summoned Over ‘Funding’ Organisation Engaged In Unlawful Activities

Amit Agarwal, global senior vice president and country head of Amazon India has been summoned by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for alleged funding to All India Mission, as the latter is involved in ‘unlawful activities’.

Agarwal has been asked to appear before the commission on November 1, news agency PTI reported. The report further said that NCPCR may take legal action if Agarwal fails to appear on the scheduled date.

The NCPCR, in a letter to Amazon India, requested the ecommerce giant to look into the matter and furnish certain details about All India Mission and other orphanages funded by the company.

“Further, it was requested that you submit an action taken report, within seven days. However, no reply has been received from your good offices in the matter so far,” the commission said.

Hence, Agarwal has been summoned to explain the reasons for the delay in the submission of the report. He would also be inquired about the action taken on the complaint sent by the commission.

Earlier in September, a notice was issued by NCPCR to Amazon India seeking an explanation for allegedly funding the All India Mission. It said in the notice that it is in receipt of a complaint from NGO Social Justice Forum, Arunachal Pradesh, 

The complaint alleged that All India Mission, an organisation registered in the US and the UK, is “illegally converting children in India”.

The ecommerce giant’s marketplace business narrowed down its net loss in the financial year 2021-22 (FY22).  Amazon Seller Services, which runs its marketplace unit, saw a 23% decline in loss to INR 3,649.2 Cr in FY22 from INR 4,748.1 Cr in FY21.

However, its payment and financial services distribution arm Amazon Pay India’s loss rose about 15% to INR 1,740.8 Cr.

In the past as well, for several issues, Amazon came under the Indian government’s scrutiny, especially related to alleged anti-competitive practices. In April this year, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) raided the offices of two sellers of Amazon India for alleged violation of competition law.