Meesho, a major e-commerce platform, has faced backlash on social media for selling t-shirts with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Users are accusing the company of “glorifying” criminals to make money.
Bishnoi T-shirts available at INR 166, label as ‘hero’
On November 4, a social media user posted on X showing t-shirts with images of Bishnoi available on Meesho for as low as INR 166. Some t-shirts labelled Bishnoi as a “hero,” while others had “gangster” printed on them.
Continue Exploring: AICPDF raises alarm: FMCG firms using quick commerce for near-expiry products
Notably, Bishnoi is allegedly involved in many criminal cases and is a suspect in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case. The issue led to public outrage, with some users suggesting that Meesho should be “de-platformed” for selling controversial merchandise, some of which was aimed at children.
Due to strong online criticism, Meesho has removed the Bishnoi t-shirts from its platform, a spokesperson said while talking to Inc42. “We have taken immediate action to deactivate the products. Meesho remains committed to providing a safe and trusted shopping platform for all our users.”
Meesho raises $1.36 Bn from Tiger global & others
This development comes after a series of top-level departures at Meesho. Harsh Chaudhary, the CXO of monetisation, left in March after two years. Last year, Utkrishta Kumar, the chief experience officer, resigned after five years.
Continue Exploring: Bata registers 53% profit growth, reaches INR 52 cr in Q2 FY25
Established in 2015 by Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal, Meesho began as a leading social ecommerce startup. In 2022, it shifted to a marketplace model to compete with giants like Flipkart and Amazon. The company has raised about $1.36 billion from top investors like SoftBank Vision Fund, Tiger Global Management, and Peak XV.
Meanwhile, Meesho’s operating revenue increased by over 32% to INR 7,615 crore in FY24, up from INR 5,735 crore the previous year, thanks to strong growth in order deliveries. The company also reduced its adjusted losses by nearly 97%, going from INR 1,569 crore last year to INR 53 crore in FY24.