NCLAT reserves order on Google's plea to stay Rs 136 crore penalty by CCI

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) today reserved its order on an interim plea of Google seeking a stay on Rs 136 crore fine imposed by fair trade regulator CCI.

An NCLAT bench headed by Chairman Justice S J Mukhopadhaya reserved its order on the plea filed by Google challenging the order of Competition Commission of India (CCI).

In February this year, CCI had slapped a fine of Rs 136 crore on Google for unfair business practices in the Indian market for online search.

Passing the order on complaints filed back in 2012, the regulator said the penalty is being imposed on Google for infringing anti-trust conduct." The penalty amount of Rs 135.86 crore translates to 5 per cent of the company's average total revenue generated from India operations from its different business segments for the financial years 2013, 2014 and 2015, according to the CCI order.

The ruling has come on complaints filed by Matrimony.com and Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) -- back in 2012 -- against Google LLC, Google India Pvt Ltd and Google Ireland Ltd. 

Earlier, Google had filed an appeal against the Competition Commission's ruling which imposed Rs 136 crore fine on the Internet major for unfair business practices in the Indian market for online search.

In February, Competition Commission of India (CCI) penalised Google for "infringing anti-trust conduct".

"We disagree with aspects of the CCI's decision. So, we have filed an appeal and sought a stay on those findings," a Google spokesperson said.

Appeals against CCI orders are filed with the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).

The fair trade watchdog's majority order came after a detailed probe into the complaints filed against the Internet major in 2012.