'Fraudulent portals selling LED bulbs under UJALA'

The Union Ministry of Power on Monday warned the public against online vendors fraudulently selling 9W LED bulbs under the name of government schemes and even using Prime Minister Narendra Modi's images.

"Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) is hereby alerting its consumers of fraudulent websites selling 9W LED bulbs under the name of Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) programme. These websites are not associated with the UJALA programme of EESL," a ministry statement said here on behalf of EESL.

It said two websites -- www.philips-led-at-10rs.in and pbs.twimg.com/media/CoGI9txWIAAybuk.jpg -- are responsible for misleading customers with promises of LED bulbs for as low as Re one.

The first of these two online vendors promises bulbs starting from Re one to Rs 13 for one watt to 13 watt bulbs.

The website also asks potential customers to share the website information with at least eight other people before proceeding to payment.

"EESL completely disowns and disclaims any relation with the link/URL and the contents provided by these link/URL. EESL or Prime Minister's Office does not endorse any of the claims or contents of such advertisements and these are an attempt to malign the name of EESL and Prime Minister's Office," the statement said.

"Further EESL will be informing the police about such fraudulent statements that are being made in the public and lodge an FIR," the statement said.

"We are keeping a tab on all malpractices that can harm the good efforts of EESL to provide quality products to our consumers and are taking legal routes to address such fraudulent issues. We urge consumers to purchase LED bulbs under the UJALA scheme only in the designated distribution centres," said the statement, citing EESL Managing Director Saurabh Kumar.

--IANS

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