Pune: Traders in Pimpri Camp, among the largest markets in Pimpri Chinchwad, have accused police and several individuals linked to private firms of harassment during raids carried out to check alleged violations of the Copyright Act, claiming the action is being used to put pressure on shopkeepers.Tensions escalated on Monday when traders gathered outside a shop where a police team, accompanied by representatives of a private company, was conducting a raid over the suspected sale of counterfeit goods. The traders protested and shut their establishments for nearly three hours, forcing the team to call off the operation midway.Shreechand Aswani, president of the Pimpri Merchant Federation, alleged that due procedure was not being followed during such raids, and that they were being used to intimidate traders rather than address genuine violations. As per norms, he said, raids should be led by an officer of the rank of superintendent of police, but in Pimpri Camp, junior officers carried out the operations. He added that individuals claiming to be company representatives often harassed traders during these raids.Aswani cited court rulings from 2016 in which police officers were penalised for procedural lapses. He added that seized goods were required to be sent to the companies concerned for verification to determine whether they are genuine or counterfeit, but alleged that this step was often skipped. “Traders usually avoid confrontation with police, and this is being misused to exert pressure and extract money,” he said.He added that frequent raids have led to growing frustration. “There is a raid almost every week. In the last two weeks alone, this was the fourth raid,” he said.A trader from the area, who did not wish to be named, said repeated raids were beginning to impact business. “Even when we are confident about the authenticity of the products, such actions create doubt among customers. These raids generate negative perception about our shops, and buyers begin to question the genuineness of the products we sell, which affects business,” he said, and added that most consumers lack the means to verify products and often relied on word of mouth.Senior police inspector Vijayanand Patil of the Pimpri police station, however, denied the allegations, stating that such raids were conducted only based on complaints from companies suspecting sale of counterfeit products. He denied reports of increased action in recent weeks, and said that such actions were taken only once in five or six months.Police said two FIRs were registered on Sunday and Monday under provisions of the Copyright Act. In one case, mobile phone products worth over Rs 13 lakh were seized, while in another, counterfeit sportswear goods worth Rs 86,184 were confiscated. “These cases were registered following complaints from representatives of the manufacturing companies, and our action was taken strictly in accordance with legal provisions,” Patil said.
