NCLAT directs Google to pay 10% of Rs 1,338-cr penalty

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal on Wednesday directed Google to pay 10 per cent of the Rs 1,337.76-crore penalty imposed on the tech giant by fair trade regulator CCI.

A two-member bench admitted the petition filed by Google against the Competition Commission of India (CCI) penalty. It, however, declined to grant any immediate stay over the operations and said it would pass any order after hearing out other parties. The appellate tribunal has issued notices to CCI and directed to list the matter on February 13, for hearing over the interim stay on the regulator's order during the pendency of the matter before it.

The NCLAT direction came over a petition filed by Google, challenging the CCI 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 such devices more expensive in the country. During the proceedings, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Google, sought an immediate stay on the order passed by the CCI on October 20.