On December 2, 2025, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued a final order against Meesho for facilitating the sale of walkie-talkies without mandatory regulatory disclosures or approvals. The authority imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty for violations amounting to misleading advertising, unfair trade practices, deficiency in services, and infringement of consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Along with the fine, the CCPA directed Meesho to list products requiring statutory approvals only after ensuring full regulatory compliance and to submit a compliance report within 15 days. It also instructed the platform to carry out periodic self-audits of its listings and publish self-audit certificates on its website for consumer awareness.
Notably, this action follows the regulator’s wider crackdown launched in May 2025, when the CCPA sent notices to 13 online marketplaces over the illegal sale of walkie-talkies lacking required authorisations. In November, the authority fined JioMart Rs 1 lakh for similar violations.
The CCPA initiated the Meesho probe suo motu after reviewing advertisements and product listings on the platform that failed to disclose whether regulatory permissions were required. The Indian Telegraph Act and the Wireless Telegraphy Act govern walkie-talkies, while telecom rules require most such devices to obtain Equipment Type Approval (ETA) from the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing.
Importantly, the framework places compliance obligations not only on sellers and importers but also on buyers: where devices operate on licensed frequency bands, purchasers must obtain ETA from the WPC and subsequently secure a wireless operating licence under the Indian Telegraph Act before lawful use.
Final Findings Of The Investigation
The CCPA found that Meesho listed walkie-talkie devices without mandatory disclosures, including licensing requirements, frequency range and spectrum compliance details, and ETA certification status from the WPC. The authority recorded that consumers purchased 2,209 walkie-talkies from a single seller on the platform, even though the seller had not provided documents establishing regulatory compliance.
Additionally, 1,896 non-toy walkie-talkie products were listed by 85 sellers between January 2023 and May 2025. Meesho, however, failed to provide the total number of units sold across all sellers.
Investigators also noted that these devices operated on radio frequencies without adequate disclosure of whether those frequencies were permissible under exemption rules. Since ETA certification is mandatory for the sale or import of wireless communication equipment, the omission deprived consumers of essential safety and regulatory information. The CCPA held that both sellers and the platform concealed material information, thereby misleading consumers and engaging in unfair trade practices.
Importantly, the authority rejected the idea that…
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