Google has attracted its largest fine, Rs 1,338 crore, from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for violating the Competition Act on 20 October, Print reported on Sunday.
The fine was leveled for abusing its dominant position in multiple markets with its Android mobile operating system and was based on information provided by three young digital economy enthusiasts which includes two Kashmiri brothers.
The CCI — the national competition regulator — is responsible for promoting competition and preventing activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on market competition in India.
The first fine was for around Rs 136 crore in 2018 for abusing its dominant position in online search and web advertising. The latest and third fine was for around Rs 936 crore, imposed on 25 October, for abuse of dominance in the app store market.
However, it was the second fine, of a whopping Rs 1,338 crore, that made news. While imposing the fine, CCI put forward ten measures for Google, including that Android device makers shouldn’t be forced to pre-install its services and that Google shall not restrict users from uninstalling of its pre-installed apps.
The decision was a result of information submitted to the CCI in August 2018 by Umar Javeed and Sukarma Thapar, both 27-years-old at the time and working as research associates at the CCI, and Umar’s younger brother Aaqib, who was 24 at the time and a law student at the University of Kashmir.