Rushab Aggarwal Vs Mercedes-Benz Financial Services India Pvt. Ltd. & Ors. (Competition Commission of India)
Summary: The Competition Commission of India considered an Information filed by Mr. Rushab Aggarwal under Section 19(1)(a) of the Competition Act, 2002, alleging contravention of Sections 3 and 4 against Mercedes-Benz Financial Services India Pvt. Ltd. (OP-1), Mercedes-Benz India Pvt. Ltd. (OP-2) and Global Star Auto LLP (OP-3).
The Informant stated that he booked a Mercedes-Benz vehicle worth ₹1,40,00,000/- from OP-3 on 03.03.2026, the date of its launch in India, after paying a booking amount of ₹5,00,000/-. He stated that delivery was assured by the last week of March 2026 if the booking was made on the launch date. According to the Informant, as delivery approached, he was subjected to coercion at the behest of OP-1 and OP-2, allegedly conveyed through OP-3, whereby delivery would be indefinitely delayed unless financing and insurance were procured through the OPs. He further alleged that he had to accept financing and insurance on unfavourable terms despite having received more competitive financing and insurance quotations from the open market.
The Informant alleged a three-layer vertical arrangement involving the manufacturer, captive financer/broker and authorised dealer, and contended that financing and insurance were bundled or tied to the vehicle transaction while competing service providers were excluded. He alleged contravention of Section 3(4)(a) and Section 3(4)(d), as well as unfair and discriminatory conditions under Section 4(2)(a)(i) and leveraging under Section 4(2)(e) of the Act.
