Prohibited Products Policy

1. About This Policy

This Prohibited Products Policy lists the categories of products and items that may not be listed, sold, offered, demonstrated, or facilitated through the Dekho platform under any circumstances. The list applies to all sellers, all product categories, and all types of sessions.

This Policy is Document 7 of Dekho's seven-document policy framework. It must be read alongside the Seller Terms and Conditions (Document 5) and the Community Guidelines (Document 6). In case of conflict, this Policy and the Seller Terms prevail.

This list is not exhaustive. Dekho reserves the right to prohibit any product at its sole discretion that it considers harmful, illegal, reputationally damaging, or inconsistent with the platform's purpose — even if that product is not explicitly listed here. When in doubt, contact support@dekho.shop before listing.

2. Absolutely Prohibited — No Exceptions

The following categories are prohibited on Dekho under all circumstances. There are no exceptions, no approvals, and no workarounds. If any listing falls within these categories, it will be removed immediately and the seller account will be suspended.

Narcotics, Controlled Substances, and Drugs

• All narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
• Prescription medicines sold without a valid prescription or licence
• Legal highs, synthetic cannabinoids, or drug paraphernalia
• Chemicals used for manufacturing controlled substances

Legal basis: Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 — Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940

Weapons, Firearms, and Explosives

• Firearms, pistols, rifles, revolvers, or any part thereof
• Ammunition of any kind
• Explosives, detonators, or related materials
• Knives, blades, or edged weapons designed as weapons (not kitchen or utility tools)
• Stun guns, tasers, or electric shock devices
• Air guns, pellet guns, or BB guns (unless specifically approved under applicable law)

Legal basis: Arms Act, 1959 — Explosives Act, 1884 — Indian Penal Code / Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Counterfeit and Pirated Goods

• Products bearing fake brand logos or trademarks of any company
• Replica watches, bags, shoes, electronics, or any other branded item that is not genuine
• Pirated DVDs, software, games, books, or any copyrighted material
• Items marketed as genuine that are not — including all grades of fake goods
• Products whose listings use another brand's images without permission

Legal basis: Trade Marks Act, 1999 — Copyright Act, 1957 — Consumer Protection Act, 2019

Human Body Parts, Organs, and Remains

• Human organs, tissue, blood, or any biological material
• Human remains of any kind
• Any item derived from or containing human body parts

Legal basis: Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994

Wildlife and Protected Species Products

• Ivory, tusks, or any elephant-derived products
• Tiger skin, bones, claws, or any part of a protected animal
• Shahtoosh wool or any wool from protected species
• Live endangered animals or any protected species
• Products derived from any animal protected under Indian or international law
• Taxidermy of protected species

Legal basis: Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 — CITES — Indian Forest Act, 1927

Child Sexual Abuse Material

• Any material that sexually depicts, exploits, or endangers minors
• Any content that could be used to groom, exploit, or harm children

Legal basis: Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 — IT Act, 2000 Section 67B — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Stolen Property and Government Items

• Any item that is stolen, misappropriated, or obtained by fraud
• Government property, military equipment, or items marked as government issue
• Currency — Indian or foreign — whether real or counterfeit, when sold as currency or legal tender. This does not apply to numismatic or collector coins sold as collectibles at collector value rather than as legal tender.
• Official documents, identity cards, passports, or government seals
• Items that circumvent government or judicial orders

Legal basis: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — Indian Currency Act — Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988

Hazardous Materials and Chemicals

• Toxic, radioactive, or biohazardous materials
• Chemical precursors for manufacturing weapons or controlled substances
• Asbestos or asbestos-containing products
• Pesticides and herbicides without valid Insecticides Act registration and proper labelling

Legal basis: Environment Protection Act, 1986 — Hazardous Waste Rules, 2016 — Insecticides Act, 1968 — Atomic Energy Act, 1962

Adult Products and Obscene Content

• Pornographic or sexually explicit material of any kind
• Material depicting non-consensual sexual acts
• Content that violates Indian obscenity law
• Adult products and products of a sexual nature — prohibited as a Dekho platform decision. While adult products are not illegal to sell in India, Dekho's live video session format makes this category operationally and reputationally inappropriate for the platform.

Legal basis: IT Act, 2000 Section 67 — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — Indecent Representation of Women Act, 1986

Lottery Tickets, Gambling, and Games of Chance

• Lottery tickets of any kind — state or private
• Gambling chips, tokens, or instruments
• Prize competition entries or scheme participation — where prizes depend on chance
• Online gambling products or platforms
• Scratch cards or instant win products not issued by a state government

Legal basis: Public Gambling Act, 1867 — Prize Competitions Act, 1955 — Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998 — State-specific gambling laws

3. Regulated Products — Permitted Only With Verified Documentation

The following categories are not automatically prohibited but require verified licences, certifications, or regulatory approvals before they may be listed on Dekho. Sellers in these categories must provide documentation to Dekho before their first listing goes live. Listings without verified documentation will be removed.

Food and Beverages

• All packaged food products, beverages, supplements, and health foods require a valid FSSAI licence or registration
• Products must display FSSAI licence number, manufacture date, expiry date, and all required labelling
• Health claims must comply with FSSAI regulations — no unverified medicinal or therapeutic claims
• Home-made food without FSSAI registration is not permitted

Legal basis: Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 — FSSAI Regulations — Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011

Cosmetics and Personal Care

• All cosmetics must comply with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Schedule S of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules
• Medicated cosmetics or cosmetics with drug claims require a valid manufacturing licence
• Imported cosmetics require a No Objection Certificate from CDSCO before import and sale
• Products must not contain prohibited ingredients under Schedule Q of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules
• No false or misleading claims about skin whitening, anti-ageing, or medical effects

Legal basis: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Legal Metrology Rules, 2011 — CDSCO Guidelines

Electronics and Electrical Goods

• Electronics subject to mandatory BIS certification must have a valid BIS licence and hallmark
• Products must comply with electrical safety standards applicable under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016
• E-waste compliant declaration required for electronic products
• Chargers, adapters, and power banks require BIS certification under mandatory certification schemes

Legal basis: Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 — Electrical Safety Rules — E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022

Health Products and Medical Devices

• Medical devices require registration under the Medical Devices Rules, 2017
• No product may claim to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose any disease without regulatory approval
• Ayurvedic, Unani, and Siddha products require manufacturing licences under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act
• Products making health or therapeutic claims without CDSCO or AYUSH approval are prohibited

Legal basis: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Medical Devices Rules, 2017 — AYUSH Ministry Guidelines

Tobacco and Nicotine Products

• Cigarettes, cigars, bidis, or any tobacco product — permitted only where the seller holds all applicable state and central licences and fully complies with COTPA, 2003 including mandatory health warnings
• E-cigarettes and vaping products — prohibited under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019. No exception.
• Nicotine pouches or oral tobacco — state-specific restrictions apply and full compliance is required
• Important — Payment Processing: Dekho's RBI-authorised payment aggregator may decline to process tobacco transactions regardless of the seller's licence status. Sellers in this category should confirm payment processing availability with Dekho before listing. Dekho reserves the right to delist tobacco sellers if payment processing cannot be facilitated.

Legal basis: Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 — Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019

Alcohol

• Beer, wine, spirits, and all alcoholic beverages are prohibited on the Dekho platform.
• This is a Dekho platform decision based on operational and payment processing constraints — online alcohol sales in India are restricted to specific licensed channels in specific states, and Dekho's payment aggregator does not process alcohol transactions.
• Sellers with valid state excise licences who wish to sell alcohol should seek a platform with a specific alcohol e-commerce licence.

Legal basis: State Excise Acts — Applicable State Regulations — RBI Payment Aggregator Guidelines

Financial and Investment Products

• Securities, shares, bonds, mutual funds, or any financial instrument — Dekho is a physical goods marketplace only and cannot facilitate financial product sales
• Cryptocurrencies or digital tokens of any kind
• Money circulation schemes, pyramid schemes, and any scheme where earnings derive primarily from recruitment rather than genuine product sales
• Foreign exchange, forex trading signals, or unregulated financial advice
• Fixed deposits, insurance products, or any banking or NBFC product

Legal basis: Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 — RBI Act, 1934 — FEMA, 1999 — Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, 2019

4. Restricted Categories — Subject to Dekho's Approval

The following categories require Dekho's prior written approval before any listing. This approval is separate from and in addition to any regulatory licences required. Contact support@dekho.shop before listing any product in these categories.

Antiques and Collectibles

• Any item that may be classified as an antiquity under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 requires documentation establishing legal ownership and right to sell
• Sellers must confirm the item is not subject to export restrictions under the Act
• Items exported from India must comply with export licensing requirements

Legal basis: Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972

Surveillance and Tracking Equipment

• Hidden cameras, spy cameras, or covert recording devices
• GPS tracking devices intended for tracking persons without their consent
• Software or hardware intended for surveillance or interception of communications

Legal basis: IT Act, 2000 — Telegraph Act, 1885 — Privacy protections under DPDP Act, 2023

High-Value Jewellery

• Gold jewellery above 2 grams and silver jewellery above 50 grams require mandatory BIS hallmarking compliance under the Hallmarking (Compulsory) Order and the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016. Sellers must confirm hallmarking status before listing.
• Luxury watches and bags above ₹1,00,000 in value require seller documentation of provenance and authenticity before listing.
• Gemstones sold as certified should have a certificate from a recognised gemmological institution.

Legal basis: Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 — BIS Hallmarking Rules — Consumer Protection Act, 2019

Live Animals and Pets

• Live animals require seller verification of compliance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, applicable state rules, and any transport or breeding regulations
• No animal from a protected or endangered species may be sold in any form
• Sellers must confirm animals were bred legally and hold applicable licences
• Dekho reserves the right to decline live animal listings based on welfare concerns or operational constraints, even where legally compliant
• Contact support@dekho.shop before listing any live animal

Legal basis: Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 — Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 — State-specific animal trade regulations

5. Secondary Market and Resale — Important Note

Dekho facilitates legitimate secondary market sales of a wide range of physical goods including pre-owned fashion, deadstock sneakers, vintage clothing, collectibles, trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other items that may trade above their original retail price.

Secondary market and resale items are not prohibited on Dekho. What is prohibited is misrepresentation — selling a fake as genuine, selling a used item as new, or selling a counterfeit as authentic. As long as the seller accurately discloses what they are selling, secondary market items are welcome on Dekho.

For secondary market items: sellers must state whether the item is new, pre-owned, or deadstock; sellers must show the item's actual condition during the live session; and sellers must not claim the item is authentic if they cannot verify it.

6. Enforcement

6.1 What Dekho Will Do

If Dekho discovers a listing or sale that violates this Policy — either through its own monitoring or through a report — Dekho will:

• Remove the listing or session immediately without prior notice
• Suspend the seller's account pending investigation
• Withhold any pending settlement relating to the prohibited transaction
• For items in the absolutely prohibited categories — report the seller to the relevant law enforcement or regulatory authority
• Permanently ban the seller from the platform for serious or repeat violations

6.2 Seller's Liability

Dekho's removal of a listing does not end the seller's legal liability. Sellers who list prohibited products remain personally liable under applicable Indian law for any consequences arising from that listing, including criminal prosecution, regulatory action, and civil claims from affected buyers. Dekho will cooperate fully with any regulatory or law enforcement investigation.

6.3 Reporting a Prohibited Listing

If you see a product on Dekho that you believe violates this Policy, report it immediately by emailing support@dekho.shop with the subject line: Prohibited Product Report — and include the session or listing details and the reason for your concern. Dekho will investigate and respond within 48 hours. Urgent reports involving safety or serious illegality will be acted on as a priority.

7. Updates to This Policy

Dekho may update this Policy at any time to reflect changes in Indian law, regulatory guidance, or platform requirements. Updates take effect upon posting at dekho.shop/prohibited. Sellers are responsible for regularly reviewing this Policy. Listing a product that was permitted under an old version of this Policy but is prohibited under the current version is not a defence — the current version governs.

This Policy is governed by the laws of India. All disputes are subject to the dispute resolution process in the Seller Terms and Conditions (Document 5, Section 13) or the Buyer Terms of Use (Document 1, Section 10) as applicable. The courts at Indore, Madhya Pradesh have exclusive jurisdiction.

Quick Reference — Prohibited and Regulated Categories