NGO opens up front against Online sale of duplicate ISI Mark helmets

New Delhi : A leading NGO engaged in the protection of the interests of the consumers Utprerit Consumer Foundation has alleged and filed a written complaint with Bureau of Indian Standard ( BSI) to take an immediate action against the suppliers and seller of duplicate ISI marked helmets being sold on ecommerce portal Flipkart.

In the complaint marked to BIS Consumer Affair Department New Delhi by Mr Anurag Chauhan one of the volunteers of Utprerit Consumer Foundation has mentioned that FlipKart is selling helmets on its portal by the brand name of Flipkart Smartbuy Bolt & Flipkart Smartbuy Thunder which have been manufactured by Meerut based firm Sonik International. Both these helmet brands have mentioned ISI mark and CML number however both these models are unapproved and uncertified, and they are not allowed use ISI Mark.

Asper BIS records this firm has not taken any approval to manufacturer ISI helmets under Bolt and Thunder brand. Because the BIS has made it mandatory to have separate license No for every model of helmet to curb the illegal and counterfeit helmets. This seems a clear case of cheating and befooling people who are buying online ISI helmets in good faith from Flipkart. Even indulging in such malpractice is a serious offence and the culprit will be imprisoned for one year and impose a fine of upto Rs 5 lakh

In the second Similar complaint, another local manufacturer in Sahibabad  M/S SK Jain & Sons is manufacturing and selling Flipkart Smartbuy Stryke and Flipkart SmartBuy Tyro on Flipkart. Again, both these brands of helmets using  ISI mark and CML number which is not authorised by the BIS for these two models.

Asper the law every model of helmet must have a BIS approval and certification which is being granted after the mandatory testing and only those helmets which have been duly approved and certified by BIS are allowed to use ISI mark and CML number. However, for petty gains these local helmet manufacturers bypassing the BIS approval produce low quality helmets and prefix fake ISI mark which was not authorized to them

Commenting on the issue Sandeep Sood Chief Trustee of Utprerit Consumer Foundation said that despite so many regulations and prohibitions to manufacture and sell fake helmets, few companies and manufacturers indulge into unfair trade Practices and try to cheat and misguide the customers by way of misrepresentation and false declarations. By doing such Illegal Acts they try to Risk the Lives of the consumers at Stake for petty but unlawful gains. as per rules of BIS if a manufacturer is manufacturing more models then the manufacturer is required to take separate CML No. for each and different model which is provided after the helmet meets the mandatory quality test.

Mr Sood has urged the BIS authorities to take an immediate action on defaulters by Making a Raid and seizing the material being sold illegally to safeguard the public.