Walmart in `illegal’ retail trade in India, alleges PIL

Rajan Bharti Mittal who heads the retail arm of the Bharti Group, today met minister of commerce and industry Anand Sharma, in the wake of a Delhi High Court notice to Bharti Walmart Pvt Ltd and Bharti Retail Ltd for allegedly violating FDI norms on retail trade.

Mittal, however, did not respond to questions raised by mediapersons on the issue.

A bench of acting Chief Justice AK Sikri and Justice Anil Kumar had on Wednesday also issued notice to the central government on a public interest litigation which alleged that Bharti Walmart was illegally carrying out multi-brand retail trade despite having permission to run wholesale cash-and-carry trade only.

The PIL, filed by scientist and environmental activist Vandana Shiva, alleges that Bharti Walmart has been carrying out multi-brand retail trade in the garb of wholesale cash-and-carry trade and that its products are reaching retail segment through outfits called `Easyday' and `Best Price Modern Wholesale'.

Cash-and-carry wholesale traders sell goods from a wholesale warehouse and customers settle the invoice on the spot in cash for goods bought.

According to Siva's lawyer, Pinky Anand, the Bharti Group, like several other Indian corporates, is acting as a ''front'' for Walmart's illegal retail operations in the country.