Google directed to pay 10 percent of Rs 1,337.76 Crore CCI Penalty by NCLAT

The National Company Law Appeal Tribunal (NCLAT) on Wednesday ordered Google to pay 10% of the Rs 1,337.76 crore fine imposed on the tech giant by fair trade regulator CCI. A two-member bench, however, refused to grant an immediate suspension of operations from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) sanction and said it would pass any order after hearing from other parties.

The appeals court sent notices to the TCC and ordered the case to be scheduled for February 13, for a hearing on an interim stay.

NCLAT leadership has come on to a petition filed by Google challenging the ICC’s order on the tech giant abusing its dominant position in multiple markets in the Android mobile device ecosystem, saying the verdict is a setback for Indian users and will make these devices more expensive in the country.

On October 20 last year, CCI fined Google Rs 1,337.76 crore for anti-competitive practices regarding Android mobile devices. In the October ruling, CCI also ordered the internet major to cease and desist from various unfair business practices.

This was challenged by Google before the NCLAT, which is an appeal authority on the ICC against any direction issued or decision made or order issued by the regulator.

In its request, Google had requested a provisional suspension of the sanction.

Android has greatly benefited Indian users, developers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and propelled India’s digital transformation, Google said.

He also alleged that the Director General (DG) had copied and pasted paragraphs from decisions of foreign authorities.

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