NEW DELHI: In a crackdown on online sale of ‘anti-drone’ and ‘GPS jammer’ devices, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to six e-commerce platforms and entities.
These entities face the risk of punitive action for misleading listings and regulatory non-compliance, officials said.CCPA has requested detailed information on import licenses, regulatory clearances and buyer details from Everse, Indiamart, Xboom, Javiat Aerospace, AirONE Robotics and Maveric Drones & Technologies Pvt Ltd.The Authority noted that these devices were listed online without disclosing mandatory licensing requirements, without valid Equipment Type Approval (ETA) or Wireless Planning and Coordination Certificate (WPC) details, and without clearly indicating that civilian possession and use without legal authorization is prohibited.
It stated that selling such products on e-commerce platforms is likely to mislead consumers into believing that these devices can be purchased freely.The California Consumer Protection Act has directed entities to provide detailed information, including the source of purchase and import, along with copies of import licenses, invoices, and related documents. They have also been asked to submit copies of regulatory approvals and licenses obtained from the WPC, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Cabinet Secretariat and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The Authority also sought to find the legal basis for offering the prohibited equipment for commercial sale. Number of units sold in the last two years plus full buyer details; Details of third party vendors offering similar equipment; Steps taken to stop these lists and prevent their recurrence; And a complete list of wireless or similar radio frequency equipment available on their platforms.Drone jammers and signal jamming equipment are regulated under the Indian Telegraph Act and Wireless Telegraphy Act, and are subject to strict licensing and regulatory oversight by the Department of Telecom (DoT) and Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing. The import of such restricted equipment is subject to the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act 1992 and applicable DGFT Notifications. Such equipment is normally permitted only to authorized government agencies and law enforcement authorities, subject to legal approvals.
