Indian electronics company
Eureka Forbes said it has launched an internal
investigation into its supply chain after authorities uncovered
child labour at one of its suppliers in New Delhi.
The National Human Rights Commission this week asked Eureka, as
well as electrical equipment maker Havells and
Unilever’s India unit, to make checks after four children were
rescued from a small-scale Indian vendor.
Delhi authorities on Monday rescued the children from a
little-known electrical wiring and component company called YY
Harness. The company, which had identified the big companies
among its clients, did not respond to a Reuters request for
comment.
Eureka Forbes – one of the nation’s most popular makers of water
purifiers – said it had initiated an investigation.
“We take these allegations extremely seriously…we have
initiated an immediate review and audit of the practices,”
Eureka Forbes Chief Financial Officer Gaurav Khandelwal said in
a statement to Reuters.
Hindustan Unilever denied the vendor was a business
partner. Havells did not respond to Reuters queries.
The Human Rights Commission is the country’s top body tasked
with protection of human rights and its orders are binding on
government authorities.
Priyank Kanoongo, a senior member of the commission, told
Reuters the companies in question must urgently carry out a
check of their supply chains.
“Companies making profits from child labour is equal to
blood-money,” Kanoongo said.
The four rescued children from YY Harness were aged between 14
and 16, according to case documents seen by Reuters. They told
authorities they worked for six days a week at the unit and were
paid between $105 and $125 per month. Police are investigating
the incident.
The commission has previously intervened over tech giant
Amazon’s labour practices at a warehouse in New Delhi.
Amazon had said the safety and well-being of its associates and
employees is its top priority.
Published on August 14, 2026
