Distributors urge Bezos, Amazon India not to block RIL-Future deal

New Delhi: As Amazon is trying to block the deal between Future Group and Reliance Retail, distributors of soaps, shampoos and hair oil have written to Bezos and Amazon’s India head Amit Agarwal not to block the deal.

According to a report in the Times of India, the Future Group, which has struck a deal with Reliance to sell off its retail, warehousing and logistics business for Rs 24,000 crore, owes Rs 6,000 crore to small vendors and suppliers, alleged the All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF).

“These dues are pending for payment since March 2020,” the publication quoted AICPDF as saying. AICPDF, which represents distributors across India, wrote in an email to Bezos and Agarwal, urging the US e-commerce giant to not block the deal. TOI has reviewed a copy of the email.

“Contrary to reports carried in a section of the media, Amazon has consistently offered to assist FRL (Future Retail) during the economic downturn caused by Covid-19 and reiterated our openness for a dialogue even during the Delhi high court hearings, which was declined by Future Group,” an Amazon spokesperson told the publication.

Amazon, which is locked in a bitter legal battle with the Kishore Biyani-led Future Group over the sale of its assets to RIL, has alleged that the Future Group has violated an agreement that barred it from dealing with RIL. While Future Group has refuted the claims, the Supreme Court last month barred the NCLT from passing final orders on the deal on Amazon’s plea.

“While you continue with your great game of world domination, we have become what is called ‘collateral damage’,” AICPDF was quoted as saying in the email. “Payments of our members are blocked. Our families are in great financial stress and suffering from mental and emotional distress.”