New Delhi, June 16 -- "Designed by Watch in China."

That person was Vir Das, the comedian and actor who won the 2023 International Emmy for Best Comedy Series. He had ordered the watch urgently on Monday through Zepto, one of India's three dominant quick-commerce platforms, for a film shoot. He paid Rs 50,000. He did not get what he paid for.

Das posted photographs of the device on X and Instagram, asking his followers whether all Apple Watches looked like that or whether Zepto was, in his words, "being shady with china copies." He added that when he called the platform's customer support, the agent told him there was nothing the company could do. He called it a "full scam."

By evening, Zepto had reached out directly, and Das posted an...