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The Consumer Unit and Trust Society (CUTS International), an international watchdog on competition and consumer welfare, has urged the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to take cognizance of a recent complaint against Google by Bharatmatrimony.com, alleging misuse of its dominant position by the search engine giant.
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In a statement issued on Wednesday, CUTS Secretary-General Pradeep S. Mehta called on the commission to probe the world's largest internet company's anti-competitive policies.
"In August 2011, CUTS had filed a Preliminary Information Report (PIR) with the Competition Commission of India to examine the anti-competitive practices indulged in by Google," Mr. Mehta said. "The matter has not been taken up seriously by CCI under its suo moto powers, as it should have. Now that there is a formal complaint filed by Bharatmatrimony.com, we hope that the CCI will examine the case in all its splendor," he added.
The latest flurry of activity against Google comes within a month of its India office being rocked by back-to-back controversies. The company was accused of fraudulent and malafide activities by the Kenyan local search firm Mocality and an international online map firm, OpenStreetMaps. Google had acknowledged Mocality's accusations of wrongdoing and publicly apologised to the Kenyan firm.
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Bharatmatrimony.com's complaint against Google is the first anti-trust suit it faces in India. According to a dealReporter.com report, the European Union is considering a stinging 400-page Statement of Objections against Google's anti-competitive policies in coming weeks. Brazil, too, reported its first anti-trust suit against the search major, with Buscape, a comparison shopping company, filing a complaint with regulators.
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Google is already under probe in South Korea and the United States on similar charges.
