Cong leader seeks SC-monitored inquiry in Amazon’s kickback allegations

The e-retail giants like Amazon and Walmart’s owned Flipkart managed to have a seamless business in India despite legal restraints,” alleged the Congress leader

Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahai on Monday sought an inquiry by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court into an alleged payoff worth ₹8,500 crore to the officials and representatives of the Central government by e-retail giant Amazon for relaxing the norms of e-businesses.

Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahai (PTI)

Subodh alleged that local traders were running out of business owing to the enormous freedom given to the multinational companies.

Talking to media persons at the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) office, Sahai claimed that Amazon had made a statement in its latest annual financial report that it has spent the amount ( ₹8,500 crore) in the legal process in India during the years 2017-20. “The e-retail giants like Amazon and Walmart’s owned Flipkart managed to have a seamless business in India despite legal restraints,” alleged the Congress leader.

Justifying his demand for an inquiry by a sitting Judge of the apex court, Sahai said that he was asking for it in the light of the Chief Justice of India’s observations in the case of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. “The CJI was sceptical of a fair inquiry by the CBI into the case. Moreover, repeated pleas of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal for the CBI inquiry into the alleged kickback failed to elicit any action,” said the Congress leader.

The former Union minister claimed that nearly 14 crore people engaged with micro, medium and enterprises, traders and agricultural marketing were left to fend for themselves owing to the unrestrained business regime offered to the multinational e-commerce companies.

To a query regarding the present state of the Congress in Bihar and Jharkhand, Sahai said that the 135-year old party would be able to revive its glorious past after the end of the transitional phase, dominated by the politics of polarisation and rhetoric. “Congress always fought for the issues of mass interest and the national pride. People will ultimately realise that they are being taken for a ride by sentimental issues tinged with communal agenda and lofty dreams of Great Bharat,” added the Congress leader.

Sahai has reached Patna to participate in the party’s campaign for by-elections at Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur assembly constituencies going to the polls on October 30.