India: CCI conducts search operation at Eveready office

Fair trade watchdog Competition Commission of India (CCI) has carried out a search operation at the city office of country’s largest dry-cell battery maker Eveready Industries for an investigation purpose.

The Kolkata-based battery major on Friday said CCI officials ‘visited’ its office three days ago. “The additional DG, CCI did visit our office on August 23 and ascertained in respect of certain business related information of the company and company officials cooperated and responded to all such queries as were raised by him and his staff during such visit,” Eveready said in a clarification sought by the BSE.

“We are awaiting further information from the office of the Additional DG, CCI,” the company said, adding it was not aware about the nature or purpose of the collection of the ‘facts’ by the additional DG, including investigation of the same.

However, according to some media reports, the CCI has ‘raided’ Eveready’s corporate office in Kolkata to investigate alleged “abuse of its dominant position” in dry-cell battery and flashlight markets. When contacted, Eveready Industries’ MD Amritanshu Khaitan said, “It is a regulatory matter, I cannot comment on this.”

Full Content: Financial Express

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