Amazon Inc is investigating the role played by Indian lawyers in the alleged funnelling of legal fees into bribes paid to government officials..Pursuant to allegations to this effect made by a whistleblower, it is understood that Amazon Senior Corporate Counsel Rahul Sundaram has been sent on leave pending investigation. Sundaram was with Amazon since 2015..The Morning Context also points to the possible role played by Advocate Vikas Chopra, who has worked with Amazon as an external counsel. The whistleblower's complaint alleges that legal fees paid to Chopra by Amazon have been funnelled into bribing government officials..The allegations, if true, are a violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prohibits firms and individuals from paying bribes to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business..The retail giant is also probing its other legal representatives in India. In the past, Amazon has been represented by various law firms in matters before Indian courts, including AZB & Partners. The article points out that AZB has fired Kaustubh Sinha, a junior counsel, in relation to the investigation. As per Sinha's LinkedIn profile, he was with the firm till September 2021.Amazon has been a long standing client of AZB & Partners. Recently, the firm has been representing Amazon in its fight against Future Group over the sale of Future Retail to Reliance Group.We have reached out to AZB & Partners for comment..Recently, the Supreme Court had given the Competition Commission of India the green signal to investigate Amazon for alleged anti-competitive practices in smartphone sales after it had lost its case before the Karnataka High Court.
Amazon Inc is investigating the role played by Indian lawyers in the alleged funnelling of legal fees into bribes paid to government officials..Pursuant to allegations to this effect made by a whistleblower, it is understood that Amazon Senior Corporate Counsel Rahul Sundaram has been sent on leave pending investigation. Sundaram was with Amazon since 2015..The Morning Context also points to the possible role played by Advocate Vikas Chopra, who has worked with Amazon as an external counsel. The whistleblower's complaint alleges that legal fees paid to Chopra by Amazon have been funnelled into bribing government officials..The allegations, if true, are a violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prohibits firms and individuals from paying bribes to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business..The retail giant is also probing its other legal representatives in India. In the past, Amazon has been represented by various law firms in matters before Indian courts, including AZB & Partners. The article points out that AZB has fired Kaustubh Sinha, a junior counsel, in relation to the investigation. As per Sinha's LinkedIn profile, he was with the firm till September 2021.Amazon has been a long standing client of AZB & Partners. Recently, the firm has been representing Amazon in its fight against Future Group over the sale of Future Retail to Reliance Group.We have reached out to AZB & Partners for comment..Recently, the Supreme Court had given the Competition Commission of India the green signal to investigate Amazon for alleged anti-competitive practices in smartphone sales after it had lost its case before the Karnataka High Court.
