India’s Competition Commission on Thursday rejected Google’s allegation that investigators had “copied” parts of a European ruling against the US company for abusing its market dominance. Android platform.
“We don’t cut, copy and paste,” said N Venkataraman, government attorney representing Competition Commission of India (CCI), told the supreme court.
The comments were made at a hearing in the Supreme Court of India, where Google is seeking to block the CCI ruling.
Google argued in its legal filing, which Reuters viewed, that the CCI’s investigative unit “extensively copied the European Commission’s decision to deploy evidence from Europe without examining it.” in India”.
“There were more than 50 instances of duplication,” Google said, in some cases “word-by-word”. The European Commission did not respond to a request for comment on the allegations.
CCI fined Alphabet Inc owns Google $161 million (approximately Rs 1300 crore) to exploit its dominant position in Androidsupplied 97% of smartphones in India and asked them to change the restrictions imposed on smartphone manufacturers regarding pre-installed apps.
Google challenged the directive saying it would harm consumers and their businesses, and warned the development of the Android ecosystem would stall if sweeping measures were taken. presently.
During Thursday’s hearing, Google’s lawyers repeatedly urged the judges to suspend the CCI’s ruling, saying it was pro-competitive behavior and not abusing its market position. The judges have yet to make a decision.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
