Maharashtra FDA orders FIR against Snapdeal CEO Kunal Bahl, company says assisting in investigation

Maharashtra's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has ordered filing of FIR against e-commerce major Snapdeal.com's CEO Kunal Bahl in a case related to alleged online sale of medicines, including prescription drugs.

FDA Commissioner Harshadeep Kamble told reporters on Friday that filing of an FIR has been ordered against directors of the companies too.

FDA had earlier issued a notice to the company and it was asked to furnish details of the drugs offered for sale, distribution and exhibited for sale on its website Snapdeal.com.

Meanwhile, a Snapdeal spokesperson told ANI News that the company is assisting FDA in the investigation and will continue to do so.

"Snapdeal acts as an intermediary between the seller and buyer of the products listed on the platform... We educate sellers on consequences of selling inappropriate products... but at times sellers end up listing such products," the spokesperson said.

Upon being notified of any such products, Snapdeal delists the products and takes appropriate action against such seller, the spokesperson added.

"We have already delisted the products and the said sellers and stopped payment, in addition to providing all information to FDA as required by them," the spokesperson said.

Last month, FDA had raided the company's premises in Mumbai in this regard. At the time, Snapdeal had said it was delisting the drugs from its portal and was assisting the regulator in the investigation.

The raid followed FDA receiving information that various medicines, including prescription drugs, were being sold online through Snapdeal.com.

"According to the law, only a licensed retailer can sell drugs, and that too on the basis of prescription of a doctor," Kamble said, adding such type of online sale of drugs is not allowed as self medication can be harmful.

- with inputs from PTI