Google Might be Fined $5 Billion for Antitrust in India This Time
Google’s woes seem to have taken up on another one now, with the antitrust case in the European Union just about wrapping up with the agreement on a settlement package, India seems to have taken to sue the search giant in almost a similar case for allegedly misusing its market position.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been investigating the complaint raised 2 years ago by the Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) in 2011 and another matrimonial website has also filed a similar case adding more weight to the investigations by the CCI.
According to Times of India there are many similarities in the case with the European Union but there are equal and probably higher dissimilarities in its execution in India, as we see that Google has settled the with the European Union the Indian Law does not allow for settlements and thus with the soon to be submitted report along with third party feedbacks from the Investigative arm of CCI, the Director General, there are larger possibilities of a legal assault on Google with a high chance of fines up to $5 billion a gross 10% of its average three year worldwide annual revenue at $49.3 billion. It is also a possibility that the CCI could impose some changes for the company to make some structural modification by splitting it into smaller and regulated level organizations.
Google has reported that it is “extending full co-operation” to the authorities in India but it yet to be seen where this would actually lead to with all the hefty fines and the regulations.
