Last Updated on 22/11/2021 by Sanskriti
Following the purported leak of a sensitive report relating to the competition regulator’s ongoing probe into Google’s Android operating system’s dominance, Google has filed a writ with the Delhi High Court against the Competition Commission of India.
According to Google, a secret interim fact-finding report filed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) Director General’s office to the CCI pertaining to an ongoing inquiry into Google’s Android smartphone agreements was leaked to the public on September 18. This private report has yet to be received by Google and evaluated. The DG’s investigation deemed the American search and tech giant “guilty of adopting anti-competitive, unfair, and restrictive trade practices in the mobile operating system and related markets,” according to the news source.
Google filed a writ case in the Delhi High Court on Thursday, September 23, seeking remedy in this issue, especially challenging the breach of confidence, which hinders Google’s capacity to defend itself and causes injury to Google and its partners.
“We are deeply concerned that the Director General’s Report, which contains our confidential information in an ongoing case, was leaked to the media while in the CCI’s custody. Protecting confidential information is fundamental to any governmental investigation, and we are pursuing our legal right to seek redress and prevent any further unlawful disclosures. We cooperated fully and maintained confidentiality throughout the investigative process, and we hope and expect the same level of confidentiality from the institutions we engage with,” Google’s spokesperson said.
The conclusions of the DG do not reflect the CCI’s final judgment, and the filing of the inquiry report is only a procedural stage in the process. Google stated in a statement that it has not yet had a chance to study the DG’s conclusions, much alone respond to any charges.
