SRINAGAR: The Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, has blacklisted and deregistered The Kashmir Art Bazaar showroom in Tangmarg for allegedly selling a machine-made carpet worth Rs 2.55 lakh to a tourist while falsely claiming it was a genuine hand-knotted, GI-certified Kashmiri product.
The department’s action follows a detailed investigation triggered by a complaint from tourist Syed Furqan Alam, who reported that the showroom presented a forged QR code and certificate purportedly issued by the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) to validate the carpet’s authenticity.
Director Handicrafts and Handloom issued Order No. 10-HD(QC) of 2025 on July 22, under Sections 6 and 7 of the Jammu and Kashmir Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1978, confirming the showroom’s immediate blacklisting and deregistration. “The seller pasted a fake QR label resembling the official GI certification of IICT to deliberately mislead the customer,” the order stated.
A criminal complaint has been ordered and further legal action is being recommended under the Geographical Indications of Goods Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The Directorate has also written to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Tourism Enforcement, to initiate strict legal proceedings and investigate the potential network involved in manufacturing and distributing fake GI labels.
Following the complaint, the department’s Quality Control team visited the showroom in Konchipora, Tangmarg, seized the carpet, and served a show-cause notice to the proprietor. While the seller denied the fraud, claiming the customer withdrew after learning the product was not GI-certified, photographic evidence and a detailed report from IICT confirmed the use of a forged label.
The Directorate found the seller’s response misleading and concluded that the fraud was intentional, intended to exploit the prestige of Kashmiri handmade crafts. Evidence also suggests the seller attempted to remove the fake QR code after realising the deception had been discovered.
The department reiterated that such acts of misbranding erode trust in Kashmir’s internationally acclaimed craft industry and directly affect the livelihood of thousands of artisans and weavers who depend on the integrity of GI-certified products.
A departmental spokesperson warned all craft dealers and showroom operators to refrain from passing off machine-made items as handmade products. “Strict action will be taken against any establishment found violating these norms, including blacklisting and legal prosecution,” the official added.
