Product Fraud – Legal Comparison Chart
⚖️ Product Fraud – Legal Comparison Chart
| आधार / Feature | Consumer Protection Act, 2019 | Indian Penal Code, 1860 | Essential Commodities Act, 1955 |
| Purpose | उपभोक्ताओं को defective, misleading, और fake products से सुरक्षा | Fraud, cheating, forgery के लिए criminal liability | Essential items की supply, price और availability सुनिश्चित करना |
| Nature | Civil / Consumer Rights | Criminal | Regulatory / Preventive |
| Applicable Cases | Defective, misleading, fake, or unsafe products (consumer complaints) | Cheating, dishonest delivery, counterfeit, forgery | Black marketing, hoarding, overpricing, adulteration of essential goods |
| Key Sections / Provisions | Section 2(10) – Defective goods Section 2(28) – Misleading Ads Section 2(34) – Product Liability Sections 83–87 – Product liability action |
Section 415 – Cheating Section 420 – Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property Section 463, 468, 489 – Forgery & Counterfeit |
Section 3 – Supply & distribution control Section 7 – Price control Section 7A – Hoarding / black marketing Section 10 – Seizure |
| Penalties / Punishment | Refund / Replacement / Compensation / Fine / Product Recall | Jail (up to 7 years) + Fine | Fine / Imprisonment / Seizure of goods |
| Consumer / Public Protection | ✔️ Consumer rights protected | ✔️ Punishes offenders | ✔️ Availability, price stability, and safety ensured |
| Scope (Civil vs Criminal) | Civil (mostly) | Criminal | Regulatory & criminal (for hoarding / black marketing) |
| Online / E-commerce Applicability | ✔️ Yes (Section 94, Rules for e-commerce) | ✔️ Yes (if cheating/fraud occurs online) | ✔️ Yes (essential items sold online) |
| Objective Summary | Consumer protection against defective or misleading products | Criminal action against intentional fraud & cheating | Prevent scarcity, price manipulation & adulteration in essential goods |