India’s competition watchdog has imposed a fine of $166,000 on Google for delay in submitting details needed as part of a two-year-old antitrust probe. The probe focuses on whether Google abused its dominant position in the business of Internet search and advertising.
“The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a fine of Rs. 1 Crore upon Google for failure to comply with the directions given by the Director General (DG) seeking information and documents,” the government said in a statement on Thursday. “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.”
As we reported earlier, Google has been facing the antitrust heat in India. India started an antitrust investigation against Google in 2012 based on complaints from the advocacy group, CUTS International, and a local matrimony website.
A Google India spokesperson said the company was disappointed.
“We’re disappointed by this 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.”
Indian blog Medianama has a detailed report on what the country’s fair trade regulator really wants to know from Google.