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India: Google probe sparked by junior antitrust researchers

By  |  July 8, 2019

Two junior Indian antitrust research associates and a law school student were behind a complaint that sparked a probe into Google’s alleged anti-competitive practices in the country, reported Reuters.

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    The Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered a full-blown investigation into Alphabet’s Google in April for alleged abuse of its Android platform to hurt rivals, but the complainants’ names came to light only when the order was made public last week.

    The case was filed by Umar Javeed and Sukarma Thapar, who work as research associates at the CCI, and Umar’s brother Aaqib, a law school student who interned with the CCI briefly in 2018, their LinkedIn profiles showed. All three declined interview requests for this article.

    Though it’s unusual for CCI researchers to file cases with the watchdog, antitrust lawyers said, there is nothing wrong with it. They acted in their personal capacity, a senior government official said, adding that all are aged in their 20s.

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