Samsung, a leading smartphone manufacturer, has accused the Competition Commission of India (CCI) of conducting illegal raids, detaining its employees, and unlawfully seizing confidential data during an antitrust investigation involving e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart.
The allegations, revealed in a legal filing cited by Reuters, have prompted the South Korean company to seek the quashing of evidence from the Punjab & Haryana High Court.
The controversy traces back to August 2023, when the CCI alleged that Samsung and other smartphone manufacturers violated Indian antitrust laws by collaborating with e-commerce platforms for exclusive product launches.
According to the watchdog, these agreements restricted consumer choices and distorted competition in the smartphone market. In response, Samsung’s Indian unit filed a 32-page petition with the High Court on October 11, disputing the CCI’s findings and its investigation methods.
The company claimed that CCI’s actions were unlawful, particularly during a 2022 raid on an Amazon vendor’s premises. Samsung alleged that during the raid, three of its employees were detained, their phones seized, and confidential data from the devices copied without authorization.
The company has demanded that the seized data be excluded from the investigation and returned immediately, arguing that the CCI’s methods violated legal protocols. Samsung secured an interim injunction from the High Court, temporarily halting the CCI’s proceedings against the company.
However, the court has yet to decide on Samsung’s request to return the seized data and prevent its use in the ongoing investigation.
The CCI’s probe, which began in 2020 following complaints by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), extends beyond Samsung. Xiaomi has also been accused of engaging in anti-competitive practices through exclusive online sales agreements. CAIT, representing over 80 million members, argued that such practices harm traditional retailers and disrupt fair competition.
