[Google-CCI] No confidential report leaked; Google should file case against media: CCI to Delhi High Court

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on rebuffed the claim by Google that the competition watchdog leaked an adverse report relating to its investigation against the tech giant in a competition case. .Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman who appeared on behalf of CCI, said that it has not leaked any confidential report and Google, if aggrieved, should move against media companies who published the report or it contents. "Times of India (ToI) says it is exclusive. Did they say they got it from CCI? If they are aggrieved, they should file a case against ToI," he said.He objected to such accusations being levelled against a government body without giving any details on how it was done.Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for Google said that nobody was privy to the confidential information except CCI. "Other than CCI, no one else can send it to third party," he said.Justice Rekha Palli eventually adjourned the matter for further hearing on Monday..Google had moved the High Court contending that CCI leaked the Director General's (investigative arm of CCI) findings, which contained business sensitive information about Google, to various media outlets."On September 18, 2021, before the DG Report was issued to the Petitioners, the Times of India, Economic Times, Reuters, and other mainstream media reported on the DG Report claiming to have "seen" and "exclusively reviewed" the nearly 750-page-long DG Report," the petition filed by Google said.These reports cite information that was protected from disclosure in the non-confidential version of the DG Report, it was contended by Google.Google also submitted that the report DG report is yet to be given to them. "The unlawful disclosure of the DG Report and Respondent No. 1 's (CCI's) failure to preserve confidentiality severely affects the petitioners 'right to conduct business, damages its reputation, and renders its rights of defence and due process redundant in proceedings before Respondent No. 1 and the DG," the petition said.Right to reputation is a facet of Article 21 of the Constitution and damage to a party's reputation is immediate and far-reaching, specifically for companies like Google, the plea said.The investigation by CCI pertains to a 2019 case regarding abuse of dominant position by Google with Android to ensure its dominance over Playstore.