The Delhi Police has initiated legal action against the quick-commerce platform Blinkit for the alleged sale of prohibited knives. This move follows a series of investigations and a successful test purchase conducted by the West District police. The crackdown was initiated after authorities discovered that weapons used in two separate murder cases in the Khyala area were reportedly purchased through the app without any licensing checks or age verification.
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How the Police Operation Unfolded Against Blinkit
On February 13, 2026, the Khyala Police Station staff conducted a verification by ordering a Stanley knife via the Blinkit mobile application. The item was delivered to the second floor of the police station within 20 minutes at a price of 710 rupees. Upon measurement, the knife’s blade was found to be 8 cm in length and 2.5 cm in width, which exceeds the legal dimensions permitted for sale without a license. This led to an FIR being registered on February 14 under the Arms Act.
| Date of Action | Operation Type | Results/Seizures |
|---|---|---|
| February 13, 2026 | Test Purchase | 1 Prohibited Knife delivered in 20 mins |
| February 15, 2026 | Dark Store Raids | 16 illegal knives recovered across Delhi |
| February 16, 2026 | Warehouse Raid | 34 knives seized in Farrukhnagar, Gurugram |
| Total Seizures | City-wide Crackdown | 50 Prohibited Knives |
Legal Specifications and Prohibited Dimensions
Under Sections 25, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act, certain types of knives are classified as prohibited if they meet specific physical criteria. Government notifications state that any manually operated folding or button-operated knife with a blade exceeding 7.62 cm in length and 1.72 cm in width cannot be sold commercially without a valid license. The knives seized from Blinkit stores were found to be in violation of these safety regulations.
- Prohibited Length: Any blade over 7.62 cm (3 inches)
- Prohibited Width: Any blade over 1.72 cm (0.67 inches)
- Platform Owner: Blinkit is owned by Zomato
- Police Action: Notices are being issued to the platform to explain procurement sources
DCP (West) Darade Sharad Bhaskar confirmed that the investigation is now focused on the entire supply chain. Authorities are looking into how these items were listed on the platform and who was responsible for stocking them at the dark stores. The seller listed on the invoice for the test purchase was identified as an entity based in Tihar village.
