Cognizant Seeks Dismissal of Infosys Antitrust Claims in Ongoing Legal Dispute

The conflict began in August 2024, when Cognizant’s subsidiary, TriZetto, sued Infosys for allegedly misusing trade secrets to develop a competing healthcare platform. Infosys later issued counterclaims accusing Cognizant of engaging in anticompetitive behavior, including poaching key staff—escalating what had already become a high-stakes legal confrontation.

In its most recent filing, Cognizant argues that Infosys has not provided the necessary detail to support its antitrust allegations, per a statement submitted to the court. The company contends that Infosys failed to clearly define the relevant markets and did not substantiate the claims of anticompetitive conduct. According to a statement in the filing, Cognizant maintains that the allegations related to restrictive contracts, training access, or employee hiring do not meet the threshold required under antitrust law.

The filing further asserts that Infosys’ amended counterclaims rely on “gerrymandered market definitions” and center on conduct that Cognizant characterizes as lawful efforts to safeguard intellectual property. Cognizant also challenges Infosys’ argument that its contracts hinder competition, noting that Infosys has not demonstrated how any agreements could prevent it from developing its own health plan software.

Infosys’ accusation that Cognizant engaged in “predatory hiring” by recruiting three of its executives is also addressed in the filing. Cognizant argues that hiring employees from a competitor is generally permissible under antitrust laws and adds that Infosys would need to show the company encouraged disloyal behavior during recruitment—an assertion Cognizant disputes.

Source: The Hindu Business Line