Google Sues India Watchdog Over Probe Report Leak

Technology giant Google has approached the Delhi High Court, complaining against the leak of a confidential report in an ongoing investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against it. 

The report relates to an antitrust investigation by the competition regulator into Google’s android smartphones agreements.The petition was mentioned on Thursday morning, September 23, by Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi before the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.

On September 18, the Times of India newspaper reported that the regulator’s investigative arm, the Director General (DG), had found Google’s conduct to be anti-competitive in the mobile operating systems and related markets.

The probe found Google India guilty of stifling competition and innovation to the detriment of the market as well as consumers in order to maintain its grip and dominance in search, music (through YouTube), browser (chrome), app library (Play Store), and other key services, the daily reported.

The competition law promises confidentiality to entities under CCI investigation and gives them the right to claim, negotiate non-disclosure of commercially sensitive information obtained as part of a DG investigation. Once the DG submits its report to the CCI, parties to an investigation get an opportunity to rebut the findings. Only after that, the regulator gives a final order.

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