CCI fines Google `1 crore for non-compliance
Google was not furnishing all the details sought by CCI, says the fair trade regulator's spokesperson
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New Delhi: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a fine of ₹ 1 crore on Google Inc. for not heeding instructions, according to a spokesman for the fair trade regulator.
CCI had sought details from Google in the case of an ongoing investigation against the company, he said, but that the company was not furnishing all the details sought.
“The DG (director general of investigations) was investigating the information filed by M/s Matrimony.com Private Limited and Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) against Google for alleged abuse of market power in the relevant markets of online search and search advertising," CCI said in a statement.
“CCI also directed Google to cooperate with the investigations by furnishing such other informations/documents which may be required by the DG during the course of further investigations," it said.
Google said it was disappointed with the development.
“While we are confident that our products are compliant with competition law in India, we continue to cooperate fully with the Competition Commission of India’s extensive and ongoing investigation. We’ve not yet received this procedural order, but will review it fully once we have," Google said in an emailed statement.
A senior CCI official, in direct knowledge of the matter, said that the primary charge against the company was that its own content was given primacy over other content, including even other advertised content. This official, who did not want to be identified, said that the investigation report was close to being finalized. “I think Google could be found guilty on come counts, but not on all," this official said.
Pradeep S. Mehta, secretary general of CUTS said that by virtue of being a search engine, Google was “required to be democratic" but that it was indulging in “exclusionary practices".
In February, Google had settled an anti-trust case with the European Commission as part of which, it had agreed to display results from at least three competitors, every time it displayed results of specialized searches.
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