Google Gets Away With Rs 1360000000 fine

The anti-trust regulator, the Competition Commission of India, seems to have let Google off with just a rap on the knuckles. Google allegedly abused its dominant position in how websites were listed on its search engine. While the European Union's anti-trust regulator fined the online search giant $2.7 billion for a similar infraction, the CCI fined it a mere Rs 136 crore (5 per cent of Google's India turnover). Experts said they were expecting a fine of about 10 per cent since the CCI's investigation wing had prepared a searing indictment of Google.

The CCI has gone easy on the company, say critics, noting that unlike the EU anti-trust regulator, the CCI has only asked for disclaimers but not insisted that Google remove its specialised search boxes. Meanwhile, the battle is far from over, as both the parties - the complainant (matrimony.com) and the respondent - will appeal against the verdict.

By Dipak Mondal