Flipkart Big Billion Day woes continue: Now ED to probe complaints over sale

The troubles from its Big Billion Day sale just don’t seem to end for Flipkart. After the outrage online and the government promising to examine its policy on e-commerce, the Enforcement Directorate is reportedly set to launch a probe into whether any foreign exchange laws were violated during the sale.

According to reports on television channels, the Enforcement Directorate has received complaints over violations of foreign exchange norms in carrying out the Big Billion Day sale.

Enforcement Directorate officials were quoted as telling NDTV that there was no evidence against the e-commerce marketplace presently and they were merely probing the complaints that they have received.

The channel also quoted a statement by Flipkart which said that the company was in compliance with the law of the land and that they haven’t flouted any rules.

Meanwhile, Economic Times’ Rohini Singh tweeted that there was no new probe against Flipkart:

Top ED officials deny investigating Flipkart's billion dollar sale. Say no notice has been issued to the company on it as is being reported

— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) October 14, 2014

There is already an ongoing ED probe into alleged FEMA violation by Flipkart but NO NEW investigation into the billion dollar sale, says ED

— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) October 14, 2014

While Flipkart said they had achieved record sales and traffic during the mega sale, they also apologised for inconvenience faced by customers, some of whom had their orders rejected. Others claimed that prices had been altered just before the sale to make it look like deep discounts had been provided.

The government has also said that it will look into its policy on e-commerce in light of the complaints over the sale.

“We have received many inputs. Lot of concerns have been expressed. We will look into it,” Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said , adding that they would examine the possible need for a separate policy for e-commerce.

Other retailers were also contemplating approaching the Competition Commission of India against Flipkart but the anti-monopoly regulator has said that there doesn’t seem to be any case against the e-commerce website presently.