Goutam Mohanta Vs Reliance Jio Infocom Limited & Others (Competition Commission of India)
Material Facts: The Informant filed information under Section 19(1)(a) of the Competition Act, 2002 against more than 4,500 opposite parties operating across multiple sectors, including logistics, telecommunications, Government e-Marketplace (GeM) procurement, energy, infrastructure, FMCG, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, real estate and other industries. The Information alleged anti-competitive practices under Sections 3 and 4 of the Act, including price alignment, route allocation, exclusionary arrangements, market concentration, parallel commercial behaviour, barriers to entry, bid-rigging and other restrictive practices. Reliefs sought included an investigation under Section 26(1), production of relevant records, examination of alleged contraventions, and appropriate interim or final directions.
Procedural History: The Competition Commission of India considered the Information in its ordinary meeting held on 24.06.2026 before passing the present order.
Legal Issues: Whether the material placed on record disclosed a prima facie case of contravention of Sections 3 and 4 of the Competition Act, 2002 warranting investigation under Section 26(1).
Relevant Statutory Provisions: Sections 3, 4, 19(1)(a), 26(1) and 26(2) of the Competition Act, 2002.
Informant’s Submissions: The Informant alleged coordinated conduct in the logistics sector through price alignment, route allocation and exclusionary arrangements. In the telecom sector, it was alleged that similar tariff structures, recharge validity periods, pricing patterns and data features among operators warranted examination under the Act. Regarding GeM procurement, the Informant alleged concentration of procurement awards, limited price variation, recurring participation by the same vendors and barriers affecting MSMEs. Similar concerns relating to market concentration, vertical integration, coordinated supply allocation and restrictive practices were also raised across several other sectors.
