CAIT seeks probe against Amazon for irregularities in legal professional charges

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SME Times News Bureau | 01 Oct, 2021
Amazon's clarification on legal professional charges is a blatant lie in order to hide its illegal business practices and is inconsistent with the regulatory filings of Amazon and its group companies, traders' body CAIT has said.

In a letter to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, CAIT said that Amazon has spent Rs 5,262 crore towards legal professionals.

Further, even if one were to accept Amazon's clarification that the legal charges were merely Rs 52 crore, Amazon must clarify without delay to whom was the remainder, i.e. Rs 5,210 crore, was paid as professional charges.

"Amazon is hell bent on discrediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tireless efforts to protect small traders and safeguard their interests. Amazon's business practices have instead been destroying these very traders and have caused large scale unemployment in the sector. It is only expedient in public interest that an urgent and time-bound inquiry by the CBI must be ordered into Amazon India's self-admitted charges," CAIT said.

"It is also suggested that Amazon India's operations, in all forms, must be suspended before it does any more damage or resorts to any other financial irregularity. A strong example must be set here so that it proves to be a deterrent for Amazon and companies like it from taking Indian law and government agencies for granted," CAIT added.