Apple asks Indian court to block antitrust probe move
Apple has asked an Indian court to prevent the country’s antitrust authority from seeking its global financial records as part of an ongoing investigation into the company’s App Store practices, according to court filings.
The U.S. tech giant is engaged in a legal battle with the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which has accused Apple of abusing its dominant position in the app distribution market. Apple has denied the allegations and is also challenging the validity of India’s new penalty rules, which allow regulators to calculate fines based on a company’s global turnover, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
In its filing, Apple argued that complying with the CCI’s request for worldwide financial data at this stage would undermine its legal challenge against the penalty framework. The company has warned that it could face fines of up to $38 billion if global revenue is used as the basis for penalties.
Despite the pending legal challenge, the CCI issued a private order on December 31 requesting Apple’s financial records. Apple has now petitioned the Delhi High Court to direct the watchdog to halt any further action and suspend the investigation until the legal questions over penalty rules are resolved.
The CCI has defended the penalty system as necessary to deter large multinational companies from violating competition laws. Apple and the CCI did not respond to requests for comment.
The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on January 27.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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