Reliance Jio row: Idea Celular moves Bombay HC for stay on CCI probe into cartelisation

Idea Cellular has moved the Bombay High Court against the investigation ordered by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) into the charges of cartelisation made by Reliance Jio against the top three operators — Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India and Idea. Sources in the know of the development told FE that Idea petitioned the Bombay High Court on Tuesday against the CCI. In its petition, the operator is believed to have said that there is already a regulator and a tribunal for regulating the sector — the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). The hearing on the case is scheduled for June 26. It is expected that other parties being investigated by CCI — Bharti, Vodafone and COAI — will also challenge the CCI’s order in high court. Idea declined to comment on the matter. Legal experts said that there have been some cases in the past where high courts have stayed investigations ordered by the CCI. There have been cases such as those against the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Google and heavy earth movers maker JCB, where the Delhi High Court has granted a stay on the investigation based on the facts of the individual cases.

IDEA Cellular Limited