Complaint filed against Zepto over ‘misleading promises’ to workers about pay, food, accommodation in Delhi

A Zepto spokesperson has, however, claimed that it appears to be a local issue and is investigating the complaint.

According to the complaint, the company recruited workers from rural areas through misleading promises of “Rs 30,000/month, free food and accommodation for 42 days”.

Once the workers reach Delhi, the joining bonus of workers is taken by the vendor, who also cuts a random amount of their payment each week, going up to 50%, it is alleged.

The Rajdhani App Workers Union (RAWU), which is associated with the Communist Party of India, filed the complaint with the Joint Labour Commissioner, Southeast Delhi, against Zepto and the external vendor company Kilton Geo Engineering.

“The promised accommodation is a sham. We’ve come to know of 3 hostels in Sangam Vihar where 10-12 workers are forced to live in a room like cattle,” the complaint stated. The promised food is also alleged to be of terrible quality, “completely unfit for human consumption,” and is only given if workers complete 100 orders in a week.

Zepto, distancing itself from the process, has claimed that while “it provides the technology and clear guidelines, but day-to-day operations and vendor oversight are handled locally by store management.”

“We are currently investigating the specific complaints from Delhi, particularly concerning the vendor Kilton Geo Engineering. We have a strict zero-tolerance policy for malpractice and have launched a full audit. At the same time, we’re conducting checks across all RMP locations to ensure every vendor meets our standards,” the Zepto spokesperson said.

The Rural Mobilization Programme (RMP), under which 50 workers were recruited by the vendor company, “was launched to create meaningful gigs for young people from rural India in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. Thousands have benefited from this initiative, and over 30 per cent of participating delivery partners earn more than ₹35,000 a month on an average,” according to Zepto.

While the complaint claimed that workers have to bear the cost of the vehicle, the company has said that EV rentals are optional, and charges are clearly communicated upfront.

“As per the process, once a rider is onboarded, the vendor collects a referral bonus of ₹7,000–10,000, and the worker is expected to work on that ID for 42 days before being shifted to a regular ID. In reality, this never happens. Most workers are forced to continue on the same temporary ID for 2–3 months. In some cases, they’re even made to work on a friend’s or relative’s ID — just so the vendor can claim another referral bonus,” the complaint stated.

In response, Zepto has claimed that “there is no concept of “temporary IDs” in our system—our tech does not allow impersonation.”